Ronald Acuna Jr. had one of the most historic seasons in baseball history. This was even more incredible because of the injuries that he had battled back from in the not-so-distant past. He had many awe-inspiring moments this season, and here, we will refresh over his top three moments throughout his amazing MVP campaign.
1. An eventful night at Coors Field
On August 29th, Ronald had a memorable night at Coors Field. He dazzled with his bat, as per usual, having a 4-for-4 night at the plate. He also launched his 29th homer of the season en route to a 5 RBI night. Along with this, he notched his 60th and 61st stolen base of the season, leaving him one home run shy of the first-ever 30/60 season in MLB history.
The exciting night didn’t end there, because fans rushed onto the field towards Acuna in the 7th inning. One fan wrapped his arm around Acuna before a security guard tackled him. Then out of nowhere, two more fans rushed towards Acuna. They managed to knock him over, but thankfully he wasn’t injured and stayed in the rest of the game. Needless to say, this was a night that Acuna won’t forget.
.@ronaldacunajr24 is just THAT. GUY. 🙌#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/CF3GSDOqwS
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 29, 2023
2. Historic grand slam
The late-season series between the Braves and the Dodgers held many storylines. The first storyline was that we might get a preview of an October matchup between the two powerhouse teams. The second storyline was the Mookie Betts vs. Ronald Acuna MVP race.
Betts was having an outstanding second half of the season and was making a push for his second MVP award. The third and most anticipated storyline was that Acuna was one home run away from a history with a 30/60 season.
Acuna launched himself into history, homering off of the Dodger’s starter Lance Lynn in the second inning. This would have been an exciting moment even if it was just a regular home run, but it was even more showstopping because it was a game-altering grand slam. This was a dramatic and important milestone in Acuna’s season, but this was only a foreshadowing more of what was to come.
GRAND SLAM FOR RONALD ACUÑA JR. TO GIVE HIM THE FIRST 30/60 SEASON IN MLB HISTORY pic.twitter.com/UXPtuSdkOr
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 1, 2023
3. Creating his own club
On August 31st, Acuna became the first player ever to be in the highly exclusive 30 home run and 60 stolen base club. His incredible season didn't stop there though, as he decided 30/60 wasn't exclusive enough. On September 27th, he stole his 70th base, which sealed him into his own unbelievable 40/70 club.
HISTORIC pic.twitter.com/gNEq0ldjs0
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 28, 2023
This incredible season has given us both an insight into what may have come of his 2021 season and what may come in the future. Ronald Acuna Jr. is an incredible athlete and is capable of doing this and much more for many years to come. After all, he is only 25 years old and has his entire career ahead of him, with many more milestones to break along the way.