Stock Up: Acuna, Jr. joins elite company as Braves continue to roll along
The Atlanta Braves have been separating themselves from the rest of the pack in the majors by winning 18 of their last 20 games. They have been getting contributions from up and down the lineup, as well as their starters and relievers.
Out of all the contributions they have got this season, Ronald Acuna Jr. continues to bolster his case for National League MVP. He’s slashing .337/.414./594 and has an OPS of 1.008. He has 21 home runs, 24 doubles, and 54 RBI for the 58-28 Braves. Tuesday, Atlanta dropped a 6-5 decision to the Cleveland Guardians, but Acuna Jr. managed to set a modern streak era.
He stole his 41st base of the season off of Shane Bieber and it was the 13th straight game where he either had a home run or stolen base in the game. The Braves have been the most consistent team all season long since the season started, but Acuna Jr. at the top of the order has set them apart from everyone else … for now. His defense has been at an elite level too.
Today marks the 13th consecutive game that Ronald Acuña Jr. of the @Braves has either hit a home run or stolen a base.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 5, 2023
That's the longest streak by any MLB player in the modern era, surpassing the 12 straight by Oakland's Bert Campaneris in 1969 (entirely on stolen bases). pic.twitter.com/Rc56LaNTak
Atlanta faces a very interesting final series before the All-Star break when they play three against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in a matchup of the two best teams in each league. Depending on how the series goes, it’s a safe bet the Acuna Jr. will have a say at least a couple of times this weekend.