Atlanta Braves star and 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. has apologized to manager Brian Snitker and his teammates for accusing Snitker of a double standard when policing his players last month. Acuña, who is on a minor-league rehab assignment as he works his way back from ACL surgery, was with the team in Atlanta on Wednesday.
On April 19, Acuña posted “if it were me, they would take me out of the game” on social media after Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic was tagged out after breaking into a home run trot on a ball that stayed in the yard. After the game, Snitker said, “Was I supposed to?” when asked whether he spoke to Kelenic about the play. He also said he did not see the gaffe.
Back in August 2019, Acuña was pulled from the game following a similar play. Snitker said the following after that game: “He didn’t run. You’ve got to run. It’s not going to be acceptable here. As a teammate, you’re responsible for 24 other guys and that name on the front is a lot more important than that name on the back of that jersey.”
Acuña hit a home run in his first minor-league rehab game earlier this week. That was in the Florida Complex League, a rookie-ball league that plays games on the backfields at each team’s spring training complex. Acuña will move his rehab up to Triple-A later this week. The Braves have not said have many rehab games he will play, but it figures to be more than a handful.
Now 27, Acuña authored a .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases en route to winning MVP in 2023. He played only 49 games last season before tearing his left ACL. In 2021, he tore his right ACL.
After starting the season 0-7, the Braves have worked their way back to .500 and enter play Wednesday with a 21-21 record.
