Acua was the first player since Hanley Ramirez in 2007 to record 25 home runs and 50 steals in as few as 106 games.
On Wednesday, Ronald Acuña of the Atlanta Braves smacked a three-run home run off of the Los Angeles Angels, setting yet another record.
Just four days prior, Acua had stolen 50 bases, and this was his 25th home run of the year. Acua then made MLB history by being the first player to hit 20 home runs and steal 50 bases before the month of August.
.
.
.
Sarah Langs of MLB.com reports that Acua now has the 12th individual season with 25 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases in MLB history. In addition, he has accomplished those goals in 106 games, which is fewer than any other player on the list.
Hanley Ramirez had the last player with a 25–50 season in 2007.
Lucas Giolito, the top trade deadline acquisition for Los Angeles, was taken deep by Acua to surpass the 25-home run mark, giving Atlanta a 3-0 lead in the third inning. The following frame saw the Braves go up 9-1, and they ultimately prevailed 12-5.
The superstar from Venezuela finished the day 3-for-4 with four runs, three RBI, and a walk, falling short of the cycle by a triple.
Acua now has a.335 average, 1.002 OPS, and 5.4 WAR. Acua has minus-1000 odds and is currently the clear favorite to win the NL MVP award this season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Acua’s former colleague in Atlanta, first baseman Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is in second place with a plus-800 rating.
Following his NL Rookie of the Year victory in 2018 and his fifth-place NL MVP finish in 2019, Acua’s recent seasons have been plagued by injuries. Acua is still a career player and a four-time All-Star.287 hitter at age 25 with a.905 OPS, 144 home runs, 158 steals, and a 22.9 WAR.
Acua is on track to finish the year with 38 home runs and 78 stolen bases. He hasn’t missed a game thus far in 2023. Acua might become the first player to go 40-80 or the fifth player in MLB history to post a 40-40 season if he can modestly increase his output over the remaining 56 games.