The Atlanta Braves are at a pivotal point where the front office needs to decide soon whether to become buyers or sellers. This year’s team is currently 29-38 and 9.5 games out of a wild-card spot.
There’s still a talented core on this roster, including star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., but the 2023 National League MVP has dropped in value in the eyes of some pundits. The 27-year-old has hit for an average of .333 with 5 home runs and 9 RBI in 18 games this season.
While Acuña Jr. does seem to be slowly rounding into form, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller has the four-time All-Star as the eleventh-best franchise cornerstone in Major League Baseball.
Here is the following list of the players in front of the Braves’ superstar: José Ramírez, Julio Rodríguez, Fernando Tatis Jr., Corbin Carroll, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Paul Skenes, Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge. Miller provided a succinct summary of Acuña Jr.’s place on this list.
“Last year was a bust for Acuña, posting a .716 OPS in 49 games before his torn ACL,” Miller states. “Since his return in late May, though, he is hitting much more like the phenom who won NL MVP in 2023. Still waiting on the stolen bases to become part of his arsenal again, but his OPS is up to 1.000 in 16 games after another home run Monday night.”
The Braves currently have the La Guaira, Venezuela native under contract through 2028. It wasn’t that long ago that Acuña Jr. was the first player ever to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases. With seemingly plenty of years of his prime to go, the outfielder’s ranking is surprising considering his decorated resume.
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