Ronald Acuña Jr. is one of the most electrifying players in baseball. The Atlanta Braves right fielder is off to a slow start in the playoffs with just three hits in 18 at-bats, but he is capable of changing a game with one swing and the Braves are counting on him to do exactly that.
It is a small sample size. Atlanta has played just five postseason games and is set to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in Game 3 of the NLDS. The winner puts the other club on the brink of elimination.
Acuña entered the postseason on a tear. In September, the 28-year-old posted a .307 batting average, .347 on-base percentage, .949 OPS, seven home runs and 19 RBIs.
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Off the field, Acuña has been busy as well. This year, he debuted his own podcast called La Bestia, interviewing MLB players throughout the season. He recently released an episode in which he announced his plans for the upcoming offseason.
Acuña shared that he plans to work once again with Fernando Tatis Sr., the father of San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., this winter.
“I’m going to train throughout the entire offseason with Fernando Tatis Sr. Now that he’s in La Guaira, I’m going to head to the stadium every day,” Acuña said, via MLB reporter Wilder Sanchez. He added, “The year I won MVP, I trained during the offseason with him.”
That year was 2023, when Acuña won the National League MVP unanimously while becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in the same season.
Acuña is not in the offseason yet, but he is already making clear that he wants to return to the best version of himself in 2027.
He dealt with a recurring left hamstring strain this year and his overall numbers were not at the level he has set for himself. Going back to the trainer who helped him reach his peak is a smart career move.
For now though, the focus is on the Dodgers. A big Game 3 from Acuña could change the entire series.
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