DENVER — Ronald Acuña Jr. moved a step away from historical past as he was serenaded with MVP chants whereas serving to the Braves roll to a 14-4 win over the Rockies on Monday evening at Coors Area.
Acuña hit his twenty ninth homer within the fifth inning, stole his sixtieth base within the seventh after which elevated his MLB-leading stolen-base whole to 61 within the eighth inning. He now stands as one in every of 4 gamers to hit 20-plus homers and steal 60-plus bases in the identical season.
Acuña joins Rickey Henderson (thrice), Joe Morgan (twice) and Eric Davis as the one gamers to steal 60-plus bases and hit 20-plus homers in the identical season. Henderson had been the latest to achieve the plateau in 1990, when he hit 28 homers and swiped 65 luggage for the A’s.
With yet one more dwelling run, Acuña will grow to be the primary participant in AL/NL historical past to file 30 steals and 60 stolen bases in the identical season. That’s a fairly good stat to strengthen his MVP resume.
“Something he’s going to do on this sport isn’t going to shock me,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned. “I feel he’s that proficient.”
Shortly after stealing his sixtieth base within the high of the seventh inning, Acuña was concerned in a doubtlessly scary incident within the backside of the inning.
A fan approached Acuña after he ran out to proper subject apparently to take a selfie and, whereas safety rushed to the scene, one other fan approached and made contact with the outfielder, knocking him to the bottom. However the incident ended harmlessly, with Acuña giving the thumbs-up signal to the Braves dugout.
“I used to be a little bit scared at first,” he mentioned afterward, via an interpreter. “I feel the followers had been on the market and asking for footage. … We’re all OK, and I hope they’re OK.”
Left fielder Kevin Pillar was close by when the state of affairs unfolded.
“I do not assume they’d any unwell intentions,” he mentioned. “I feel that was fairly evident early on.”
Bryce Elder’s six-inning effort was backed by a two-run opposite-field dwelling run from Austin Riley and a three-double evening by Sean Murphy. Nevertheless it was Acuña’s four-hit efficiency that paced the Braves, who’ve tallied a double-digit run whole in every of their previous three video games in opposition to the Rockies.
Acuña singled and tallied his second stolen base of the evening within the eighth. Then, with MVP chants rising louder within the ninth, he doubled off the left-center-field wall. He flirted with a two-homer and two-steal evening. That may have been a pleasant option to create the 30-60 membership.
“Take into consideration how lengthy this sport has been performed and take into consideration what number of nice gamers have performed this sport, and he’s on the verge of doing one thing that has by no means been finished,” Pillar mentioned. “It’s fairly exceptional. He hasn’t finished it but, however I anticipate him to do it actual quickly.”
A 20-60 season isn’t fairly as uncommon as 40-40, however earlier than Acuña this season, there had been three 40-40 seasons since the latest 20-60 marketing campaign — and fewer gamers have achieved the 20-60 combo.
The one gamers to file 40 homers and 40 steals in a season are Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998) and Alfonso Soriano (2006). Acuña was three steals shy of becoming a member of this membership in 2019, when he was simply 21 years outdated.
It is a nice accomplishment for Acuña, who has spent this season reminding the baseball world of how particular he may be when wholesome. The pace he has proven this yr was muted final yr as he handled the lingering results of a significant knee harm (torn proper ACL) he suffered two days earlier than the 2021 All-Star break.
Bonds (1990) and Davis (1987) are additionally going to achieve firm when Acuña hits his subsequent dwelling run. These two former gamers have lengthy stood as the one gamers to steal 50-plus bases throughout a 30-homer season.
“I feel I am simply actually completely satisfied and proud that I have been in a position to keep wholesome for this entire season,” Acuña mentioned. “The objective is to have the ability to go on the market, contribute and assist the group win any means potential.”
Acuña might actually create historical past whereas spending the subsequent two nights taking part in inside the offensive-friendly confines of Coors Area. If he does, these MVP chants might develop louder.
“I’m completely satisfied and actually proud,” Acuña mentioned. “The objective stays the identical, to maintain successful and keep centered.”