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Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. punishes Mets with HR after brother’s demotion
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- Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. punishes Mets with HR after brother’s demotion
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The 35-41 Atlanta Braves were in need of a spark heading into their four-game set with the New York Mets , and Ronald Acuna Jr. delivered one in the most emotional way possible. Just hours after his younger brother Luisangel Acuna was demoted to Triple-A by the Mets, the Braves superstar stepped up against Atlanta's divisional rivals and crushed a home run that felt fueled by more than just competition.
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The Braves and Mets rivalry added another chapter Monday night at Citi Field where Acuna Jr. went deep just before ESPN's Jorge Castillo reported on X, formerly known as Twitter, that his younger brother had been optioned to Triple-A earlier in the day.
"In related news, the Mets optioned his brother to Triple-A today."
The 27-year-old 2023 NL MVP may have kept a straight face as he rounded the bases, but the message behind the swing couldn't have been louder. He's not just healthy—he's dominating. ESPN's Jeff Passan captured the magnitude of Acuna Jr.'s resurgence perfectly on the platform.
"In 119 plate appearances since returning from the injured list, Ronald Acuña Jr. is hitting .408/.513/.735 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs in 28 games. Anyone wondering how he'd come back from his second ACL tear, the answer is: majestically."
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The right fielder's offensive resurgence has become one of the biggest stories of the Braves' season. Though the team has struggled to find consistency, his production at the top of the lineup has remained elite. The home run on Monday marked his ninth in just 98 at-bats since coming back, an MVP-caliber pace by any standard.
MLB.com's Mark Bowman posted a video of Acuna's home run trot, capturing both his flair and the crowd's reaction.
"Mets fans loved Ronald's dance move before he got to third base. This was his ninth homer in the 98 at-bats he's totaled since returning."
As for the younger Acuna, the 23-year-old infielder showed flashes during his time with the Mets but struggled to produce consistently. In 145 at-bats this season, he posted a .241 average with six RBIs and eleven stolen bases. Though he's yet to hit a home run at the major league level, the return to Triple-A could give him the space to reset and develop further.
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