ATLANTA — As Ronald Acuña Jr. raced across the bases within the Braves’ 6-5 win over the Mets on Tuesday evening at Truist Park, he appeared to erase ideas that his gradual begin was a product of his beforehand sore proper knee.
Acuña created reminders of his 2023 MVP season as he tallied a pair of hits, reached safely in every of his first 4 plate appearances and stole three bases. His leadoff single in Atlanta’s three-run third inning was the primary of six straight singles recorded towards New York starter Adrian Houser.
“I haven’t gotten off to the beginning I’ve wished within the season,” Acuña stated by an interpreter. “But it surely’s a protracted season, and I’ve a sense issues are going to start out going my method.”
Acuña loved many nights like this final yr, when he turned the primary participant to ever hit 40-plus homers and tally 70-plus stolen bases in a season. However he had been fairly quiet by the primary 9 video games this yr. He entered Tuesday hitting .222 with no homers, one stolen base and a .611 OPS.
A sixth-inning infield single capped a productive evening for Acuña, who has 4 multi-hit performances by his first 10 video games. He’s now hitting .256 with a .691 OPS.
“I’m positive he had enjoyable getting on there and with the ability to run round,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “That was actually good for him. That was a extremely good signal as a result of in some unspecified time in the future in time, he’s going to interrupt out, too. In order that was good to see.”
There wasn’t any purpose to panic about numbers created by a pattern measurement of simply 9 video games and 42 plate appearances. But it surely was simple to know if Braves followers had been getting anxious whereas wanting ahead to seeing the reigning Nationwide League MVP start to do his factor once more.
Acuña made it clear his gradual begin has had nothing to do with the knee soreness that compelled him to relaxation for a pair weeks throughout Spring Coaching. He stated he hasn’t felt any discomfort for the reason that first week of March.
Acuña received hit by a pitch to start the underside of the primary, stole second and reached third on a throwing error earlier than jogging dwelling on Ozzie Albies’ RBI double. The Braves proper fielder lined a single to left to start the important thing third after which walked with one out within the fourth. This positioned him to steal each second and third base.
Acuña led MLB with a franchise-record 73 stolen bases final yr, however this was simply the second time he stole three bases in a recreation. The opposite incidence was towards the Astros on April 22, 2023.
“I used to be simply ready to get on base as a result of it felt like I hadn’t been on base in ceaselessly,” Acuña stated when requested if his knee had made him much less aggressive on the bases by the season’s earlier 9 video games.
Reynaldo López appreciated the timing of the breakout recreation. The proper-hander helped key Atlanta’s victory with six scoreless innings towards New York.
“I feel [Acuña’s] great,” López stated. “Everybody noticed it. Regardless of the moist, chilly and wet climate, he’s in a position to steal second and third. I feel he’s only a nice participant. An important factor is he’s on our facet.”
Seeing Acuña race across the bases a couple of instances on Monday possible silenced doubts about his well being.
He was bothered by irritation round his proper meniscus after being concerned in a protracted rundown towards the Twins on Feb. 29. The Braves despatched him to California to be evaluated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who had surgically repaired this identical knee after Acuña tore his ACL in 2021. ElAttrache confirmed the outfielder simply wanted a brief interval of relaxation.
Acuña didn’t homer over his 11 video games within the Grapefruit League, and he’s gone homerless by the start of the common season. However Tuesday appeared to point it’s only a matter of time earlier than he additionally shortly builds that whole.
“As quickly as I get in that groove, I really feel like I’m going to take off working,” Acuña stated.
