Ronald Acuña Jr. Makes MLB History During Red-Hot Stretch for Braves
· Yahoo Sports
Atlanta Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is red hot after a really bad start to the season, as he hit five home runs and stole four bases in a four-game span, including his grand slam in game three in Boston and three straight games with a home run in Cincinnati, which featured two long balls in Atlanta’s 5-2 win over the Reds on May 30.
After being placed on the injured list on May 3 with a left hamstring strain, Acuña returned to the lineup on May 19, but struggled at the plate compared to his usual numbers, hitting .200 with no home runs in 30 plate appearances from May 19 to May 28. His lack of production was concerning, but there was still a thought that he was easing back into the lineup and was close to a resurgence.
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That resurgence came with one swing of the bat, when Acuña hit a long home run, a grand slam, to give the Braves a 7-2 lead at Fenway Park, clearing the Green Monster in left-center field. Since he stepped into the box for that plate appearance, Acuña is 6 for 13 with five home runs, nine runs batted in, and four stolen bases.
Players with 4+ HR & 4+ SB in a 3-game span, since modern SB rule adopted (1898):
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 31, 2026
2026 Ronald Acuña Jr.
2024 Shohei Ohtani
1922 Max Carey
Acuña has 4 walks in his span, the most of any on the list in those spans https://t.co/vM945Uqrrl
Acuña is the third player since 1898 to have four home runs and four stolen bases in a three-game span, joining Shohei Ohtani, who accomplished that feat in 2024, and Max Carey, who did it in 1922. Having hit five home runs and stolen four bases in four games, he joins Ohtani, Eric Davis and Willie Mays as the only players to reach that mark. He looked like the truly game-changing player that Braves fans have been accustomed to seeing since his debut in 2018.
Atlanta currently has the best record in the MLB after two straight series wins over the Red Sox and Reds, and Acuña was a massive part of that for the Braves. Their ability to win so many games and look borderline unbeatable despite a lack of production from both Acuña and Austin Riley made their accomplishments even more impressive. Now that Acuña seems back to form, there is no telling what heights the Braves could reach this season, as they appear to be one of the most complete teams in MLB with a great starting rotation, bullpen, and a dangerous offense.
The Braves begin a home series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, July 2.