Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. took to the plate against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Lance Lynn in the second inning of Thursday night’s game knowing he was on the verge of something special.
The National League MVP candidate entered the tilt having put up 29 home runs and 61 stolen bases on the season. Another dinger, and he’d become the first player in MLB history with 30-plus homers and 60-plus steals in the same season.
Acuna Jr. did not disappoint. With the bases loaded, the star outfielder rocked Lynn to the tune of a 429-foot shot over the left center field fence. It was a no doubt about her with Dodgers left fielder David Peralta not even moving.
Talking about making MLB history in grand fashion. Acuna Jr. rarely lets the fans down. This was obviously the latest example of that.
Ronald Acuna Jr. stats (2023): .336 average, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 61 SB
Those are some otherworldly numbers right there. Shockingly, the Braves still have 27 games remaining on the season. There’s a shot that Acuna Jr. could end up with north of 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in the same season. It would go down as one of the greatest individual performances in the history of the game.