Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. joins elite list after blasting 40th home run
At a young age, Ronald Acuna Jr. has made history quickly.
Acuna, the Atlanta Braves phenom, hit his 40th home run Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies to join Mel Ott and Eddie Matthews as the only MLB players 21 or younger to hit 40 home runs in a season.
In addition to the round-tripper, Acuna is three steals away from joining the 40-40 club. The outfielder already has become the youngest player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 30 bases in a season.
No. 4️⃣0️⃣
Ronald Acuña Jr. gives @Braves their first 40-home run season since Andruw Jones in 2006.#Braves | #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/k6EOhBQXoZ
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) September 19, 2019
“Normally, home run guys aren’t fast. And fast guys aren’t home run guys. That’s what it boils down to,” Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Pretty simple. It’s a matter physiology and physics. And fairness, too, because no one guy should get all the gifts.”
There is it. HR No. 40 for Ronald Acuña Jr. He is the first Brave to have 40 home runs in a season since Andruw Jones in 2006. The #Braves lead the #Phillies 2-0 in the 3rd inning. Acuña is three stolen bases away from 40-40. @PaulByrd36 getting that CON??TENT?? @FOXSportsBraves pic.twitter.com/s6uh3lxMen
— Kelsey Wingert (@KelsWingert) September 19, 2019
Bret Gibson is a TribLive digital producer. A South Hills resident, he started working for the Trib in 1998. He can be reached at bgibson@triblive.com.
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