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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Meghan L. Hall

Tyler Matzek appeared to clap back at Phillies manager who hated on Ronald Acuña Jr home run celebration

The Braves are the hottest team in baseball. From top to bottom, their roster is stacked, and all they do is hit dingers. Once the runs start piling up, so do the celebrations.

However, Phillies Manager Rob Thomson is not a fan and took exception to Braves’ star Ronald Acuña Jr.’s actions after he hit his 37th home run of the season on Tuesday.

Acuña flapped his arms like a bird as he rounded the bases and hit Atlanta Hawk’s star Trae Young’s “Ice Cold” celebration as he walked towards home plate.

“I like our guys to act like they’ve been there before,” Thomson said a recent interview with WIP. He eventually explained that he understood baseball has changed and that he can’t control things or let it bother him.

Braves pitcher Tyler Matzek caught wind of Thomson’s comments and had his own thoughts. He quickly clapped back on X and defended his teammate: “If you can’t admire it, keep it down so everyone else can enjoy the show.”

Acuña reposted Matzek’s words, seemingly agreeing and silently thanking his pitcher for backing him up. Also, in true Acuña fashion, he loves his haters, as he showed Phillies fans when the Braves clinched the NL East on Wednesday night.

 

There is no love lost between these rivals, and, frankly, as the best team in baseball, they’ve earned the right to celebrate how they want. In the words of Atlanta rapper Future, ” You do what you want when you poppin’.”

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