Down the stretch of this 2019 season, outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr is trying to do something that no other Braves player has ever done, and doing it under age 21 in only his sophomore year as a major league ball player. Acuna, Jr. had 41 homeruns and 37 stolen bases heading into the Kansas City Royals series, then this happened. After Acuna, Jr. led off game one, a grimace, and he was pulled from the game. Early indications have been reported and confirmed that he has a strained hip, or in other words a strained groin. Which ever it really is,hip not broken and the groin not torn. But what it does mean is Acuna, Jr. will not be doing anymore running the rest of the regular series, which consists of three more games beginning this Friday at the New York Mets. Braves have an off day today. Manager Brian Snitker pulled Acuna, Jr. from game one of the Royals series on Tuesday night and he will not play the rest of the regular season. Rest, rest, rest will be doctors orders until the National League Divisional Series starts up next week. Snitker wants Acuna, Jr as healthy as he can leading into the playoffs and vows that Acuna, Jr. will be ready. Acuna, Jr. even said he will be playing. Individual statistics are always good, but the team is greater. So the 40/40 club that Acuna, Jr. was vying for will have to wait until another year, and that’s just okay with him. The only members of the 40/40 club are as follows:
Jose Canseco: 1988 Oakland Athletics, 42 homeruns, 40 stolen bases
Barry Bonds: 1996 San Francisco Giants, 42 homeruns, 40 stolen bases
Alex Rodriguez: 1998 Seattle Mariners, 42 homeruns, 46 stolen bases
Alfonso Soriano: 2006 Washington Nationals, 46 homeruns, 41 stolen bases
But though Acuna, Jr. will not make history as the youngest player to enter the 40/40 club, he still makes history to be the only player under 21 years of age to hit 41 homeruns while stealing 37 bases. Something for him to build on for years to come.
In other news: First baseman Freedie Freeman should return to the field Friday night at the New York Mets. He didn’t travel with the team to Kansas City as he was resting his sore elbow which has bone spurs. Freeman mentioned he has been dealing with this for sometime now and he just needs to rest his elbow. My hope is after the season he can have the bones spurs cleaned out so he will be ready to go for the 2020 season. Lets hope that won’t happen until November.
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