By: Harry Crowther
If you’ve followed baseball in 2023, you’ve likely marveled at Shohei Ohtani’s doing of things never done before. You have probably noticed Luis Arraez’s batting average teetering around the elusive .400 mark. And you’ve probably even seen Cincinnati Reds’ rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz run from home to third faster than anyone and hit baseballs so far they can be picked up by radar.
But maybe you haven’t realized just how good of a season Ronald Acuña Jr. is having. Maybe Acuña and his Atlanta Braves are just too good. Here are four nuggets behind Acuña’s historic first half and his case for the NL MVP.
Embed from Getty Images- First a note on his team. The Braves won 21 games and hit a single-month franchise record 61 homers in June, according to Fox Sports. A 58-28 record is the best in the National League and eight games better than the Marlins in the NL East. The offense, led by Acuña at the top of the lineup, has carried the load. The Braves boast the highest team OPS and batting average in baseball. In 86 games Atlanta has scored 487 runs and hit 166 homers. That pace is beyond single-season club records.
- With the implementation of the pitch clock, disengagement limits, and bigger bases, a base swiping boom was expected. Acuña, however, is on another level. His 41 stolen bases is the best in the National League. Combine that number with 21 home runs and an OPS over 1.000 and, like Ohtani, Acuña is doing something never done before. He is the first player ever to hit 20 homers and steal 35 bags before the All-Star break, per Sarah Langs.
- Some may scoff at the use of analytics. They are, however, a major tool when evaluating baseball players in 2023. And Acuña’s Statcast numbers are rather impressive. These are his percentile ranks among qualified players this season, as of July 5.
Not bad.
- What makes Acuña that much more of a nightmare for opposing pitchers is that, in addition to the homers and stolen bases, he almost always produces a quality at bat. He doesn’t strike out and has a knack for getting on base. Acuña’s .337 average is second best in MLB and he ranks third in OBP behind only Arraez and Juan Soto. Among the 22 players who have struck out 50 times or less this season, Acuña is the only one to have hit 20 or more home runs.
From: Harry Crowther <harrycrow30@gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 5:06 PM
To: Mario Washington <mario@espnclt.com>
Subject: Acuña Story
If you’ve followed baseball in 2023, you’ve likely marveled at Shohei Ohtani’s doing of things never done before. You have probably noticed Luis Arraez’s batting average teetering around the elusive .400 mark. And you’ve probably even seen Cincinnati Reds’ rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz run from first to third faster than anyone and hit baseballs so far they can be picked up by radar.
But maybe you haven’t realized just how good of a season Ronald Acuña Jr. is having. Maybe Acuña and his Atlanta Braves are just too good. Here are four nuggets behind Acuña’s historic first half and his case for the NL MVP.
- First a note on his team. The Braves won 21 games and hit a single-month franchise record 61 homers in June, according to Fox Sports. A 58-28 record is the best in the National League and eight games better than the Marlins in the NL East. The offense, led by Acuña at the top of the lineup, has carried the load. The Braves boast the highest team OPS and batting average in baseball. In 86 games Atlanta has scored 487 runs and hit 166 homers. That pace is beyond single-season club records.
- With the implementation of the pitch clock, disengagement limits, and bigger bases, a base swiping boom was expected. Acuña, however, is on another level. His 41 stolen bases is the best in the National League. Combine that number with 21 home runs and an OPS over 1.000 and, like Ohtani, Acuña is doing something never done before. He is the first player ever to hit 20 homers and steal 35 bags before the All-Star break, per Sarah Langs.
- Some may scoff at the use of analytics. They are, however, a major tool when evaluating baseball players in 2023. And Acuña’s Statcast numbers are rather impressive. These are his percentile ranks among qualified players this season, as of July 5.
Not bad.
- What makes Acuña that much more of a nightmare for opposing pitchers is that, in addition to the homers and stolen bases, he almost always produces a quality at bat. He doesn’t strike out and has a knack for getting on base. Acuña’s .337 average is second best in MLB and he ranks third in OBP behind only Arraez and Juan Soto. Among the 22 players who have struck out 50 times or less this season, Acuña is the only one to have hit 20 or more home runs.
