The Atlanta Braves have struggled to play winning baseball this season. Things were tough without outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and his electric bat in the lineup. When he finally returned, fans hoped it would be enough to energize this team and turn things around.
It hasn't worked out that way but Acuña is playing MVP-level baseball right now. He has played so well that he earned the most votes among National League outfielders and will be starting the All-Star game in Atlanta, despite missing the first two months.
This solidifies that Acuña is one of the best players in baseball and it isn't lost on him that Braves fans helped get him to the 2025 ASG. He expressed his gratitude towards fans, stating "Really just have to give all the credit to the fans, right? Just because I missed a ton of playing time. And without them, I’m not in this game. They’re the ones who made this dream come true for me.”
Ronald Acuña Jr.'s love for Atlanta fans proves he needs to be a Brave for life
His comments come from reporting by Braves insider David O'Brien. Acuña stated that Braves fans made his dreams come true because he gets to start his fifth All-Star Game in front of who he called "the best fans in baseball."
The biggest takeaway from Acuña's comments is the fact that he once again mentioned his desire to remain a Brave for his entire career. He has expressed this many times and it seems like Atlanta has become a second home for him and his family.
“Atlanta is my second home, and I love being here,” Acuña said. “I want to be in this organization for the rest of my career. I’m comfortable here. I like it here. I feel like I know everyone. So for me it would just be a dream to be able to stay here.” https://t.co/yZdxWTmszi
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 3, 2025
“I want to continue to be a member of this organization. I want to be in this organization for the rest of my career. I’m comfortable here. I like it here. I feel like I know everyone. And so for me, it would just be a dream to be able to stay here."
It's no surprise that Acuña would want to stay with an organization that he clearly has a lot of pride in playing for. Fans surely would love for one of the best players in baseball to remain on their side. His continued success will only put more pressure on the organization to deliver this dream for Acuña.
He has backed up with talent with a career slash line of .292/.383/.528 with 174 home runs, 200 stolen bases, 435 RBI, a 143 wRC+, and a 30.3 WAR.
Most Braves fans are probably skeptical of this happening for a couple of reasons. One, it's very rare for any player to remain with the same team their entire career these days. Two, Atlanta has not been able to bring back fan-favorite players who have reached free agency over the last few years (i.e. Freddie Freeman, Dansby Swanson, Max Fried).
They'd be foolish to let that happen again and with a generational talent. He clearly wants to stay and feels immense pride for this team and city. Acuña has two years left of control and there are two club options for 2027 and 2028. So he is still four years from free agency, but it feels very much like that an Acuña extension is something they need to get ahead of.
Yes, he has injury concerns but the way he is performing right now, it doesn't seem like that is going to be a problem. It is worth the investment to give fans faith in the front office and take away any anxiety for a potential exit by one of baseball's best talents.