We’re getting so, so close to having Ronald Acuña Jr. back in big-league action, and baseball will be better off for it.
Just look at how his rehab assignment is going.
The Atlanta Braves star is down in Triple-A with the Gwinnett Stripers to get some rehab work in after suffering a torn ACL before the All-Star break last season. Acuña, who is expected to return to the Braves in early May, hit a double off the wall in Tuesday’s game. And on Wednesday, he was back to bringing the charisma that baseball sorely missed in his absence.
I mean, the dude bat flipped on a walk.
Here's how the last two pitches of Ronnie's previous at-bat went. pic.twitter.com/p0sa06YqDy
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) April 20, 2022
The sequence happened during Wednesday’s game against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (lol). Acuña took what he thought was Ball 4 and began taking off his gear to make his way to first base. The problem: the home plate umpire called it a strike with a late signal. Acuña was late to realize it was called a strike and had a laugh with the umpire because, well, he’s not going to get upset about a rehab game.
On the next pitch, Acuña waited for actual confirmation from the umpire that it was Ball 4. And you best believe that he unleashed a casual bat flip for a walk.
Major League Baseball needs this man back. Fans thought the sequence was great too.
