Atlanta Braves outfielder and MVP candidate Ronald Acuna Jr. had a special weekend.
He got to show off his enormous talent on the biggest stage and against a top contender: the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The series turned into a battle of MVP candidates, as Mookie Betts was there playing for LA.
It’s fair to say it was an impressive weekend for Acuna, whose Braves won three out of the four contests.
Acuna hit three home runs and stole two bases.
He became the first player in the history of baseball to log a season with 30 or more home runs and 60 or more stolen bases.
One of his home runs was a majestic shot to center field that left his bat at 121.2 mph.
Acuna punished a pitch from Emmet Sheehan and sent it 454 feet to center field.
It was not only the hardest-hit ball by a Braves player under Statcast tracking by 2.6 mph, but it also became the third hardest-hit homer since Statcast became a thing (2015).
At 121.2 MPH, Ronald Acuña Jr. now has the 3rd hardest-hit home run in the Statcast Era! 💪
(MLB x @GoogleCloud) pic.twitter.com/q6qKB3MhHe
— MLB (@MLB) September 3, 2023
The owner of the two hardest-hit home runs in the Statcast era is none other than Giancarlo Stanton.
Stanton hit a 121.7 mph rocket on August 9, 2018, against the Texas Rangers.
He also hit a 121.3 mph homer vs. the Washington Nationals on July 25, 2020.
Both drives came during his time with the New York Yankees, his current squad.
With the way Acuna has been swinging the bat lately, he could actually take down Stanton’s record any day now.
For now, he will focus on getting more homers, steals, runs, hits, and credentials to solidify his MVP bid.
