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Ronald Acuña Jr. is wreaking havoc in the Venezuelan Winter League

The 2023 NL MVP is rentlessly crushing LVBP pitching this winter.

By Mitchell Barbee |
World Baseball Classic Pool D: Venezuela v Puerto Rico
World Baseball Classic Pool D: Venezuela v Puerto Rico / Brace Hemmelgarn/GettyImages
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Despite a historic season and an MVP, Ronald Acuña Jr. is not taking things easy this offseason. The Braves superstar has continued to mash for Tiburones de la Guaira in the LVBP. The 2023 NL MVP has played 15 games through Saturday, December 9, and his stats are mind blogging. Let's take a look.

Ronald Acuña Jr. can't stop homering

On November 16, Ronald Acuña Jr. was set to make his 2023 winter league debut, but his team had to delay the game for two hours. It wasn't because weather, however. It was because Acuña was being named NL MVP that night.

After officially taking home the National League MVP, Acuña took the field for La Guaira and it didn't take long for him to make an impact. Just three hours after the announcement, he went yard. He hasn't stopped going yard since. In 15 games, the Braves slugger has hit seven bombs.

He hasn't just been homering, either. He's slashed .443/.564/.918, good for a 1.482 OPS. In addition to his seven homers, he also has six doubles and a triple, which means that out of his 27 hits, over half have been for extra bases. He's also added four steals without getting caught.

Pitchers have stopped pitching to Acuña Jr.

When you're hitting over .400 and hitting a homer nearly every other game, pitchers will eventually stop pitching to you.

In 78 PAs, Acuña has walked 14 times (good for a 17.9% walk rate) and been hit three times. He's walked three times in two games and two times in three games. Some pitchers want nothing to do with Ronnie, for good reason.

There was this scary hit-by-pitch, when Ronnie was hit on the hand, but he stayed in the game and played the next day.

The 2023 NL MVP has been impressive on defense too

Acuña has been lighting up Venezuelan league pitching, but he hasn't left it all at the plate. In addition to his excellent offensive work, the Braves RF has also made some spectacular plays in the field.

Ronald also made this incredible throw from right to nab a runner at the plate.

Tiburones hasn't just used Ronald in RF. In a November game, they put him in CF, where he made this running grab at the wall.

If you couldn't tell from his offensive stats, it's apparent when you watch him on defense: Ronald Acuña Jr. is not taking it easy in the winter leagues.

MLB teams should be scared

Believe it or not, despite having a historic season, Ronald Acuña Jr. underperformed his expected stats. Acuña's .341 AVG and .596 SLG were well below his .357 xBA and .660 xSLG.

Last year, Ronnie was excellent in Venezuela as well, but he did not hit for anywhere near as much power. He only hit two homers in his 10 games last year. Acuña Jr. has carried over the power surge he had in the final month of the MLB season to the LVBP. If he continues launching balls out of the park like has, 2024 could be a scary year for pitchers.

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