Inside Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Season For The Ages
The Lead
Wondery
3.9 • 2.2K Ratings
🗓️ 6 October 2023
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ronald Acuña Jr. has had a season unlike any other in Major League Baseball history, becoming the first player with 40+ home runs and 70+ stolen bases in the same year. But leading up to this dream season, the Atlanta Braves outfielder endured a stretch of his career that was anything but a fairy tale. Today, we look at how Acuña went from his lowest point as a player, to heights that no one has ever reached. And, after a disappointing early exit last season, what can Acuña and the Braves do differently to bring another World Series back to Atlanta?
Guest: David O'Brien, The Athletic
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Transcript
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| 1:24.0 | David O'Brien, you wrote about a day that seems to sum up what a dream season this has been for Braves Right Filter, Ronald, Acunia, Jr. |
| 1:33.0 | So can you take us back to Thursday, August 31st, and tell us what happened for Acunia in Los Angeles? |
| 1:41.0 | It's hard to describe because he had somehow kept this secret. |
| 1:44.0 | Most of his teammates didn't even know about it until they got to the ballpark at Dodger Stadium that day. |
| 1:49.0 | But Acunia got married that morning in LA. |
| 1:52.0 | Ronald made me with a little extra pep in his step tonight. |
| 1:55.0 | He got married this morning to his longtime girlfriend, Maria. They had a small private ceremony. |
| 2:00.0 | When I talked to other players about it, including Eric O'Flair, the guy I do a podcast with, they were just stunned that a guy was able to do that. |
| 2:08.0 | Not just during the season, but on the morning after a night game in Colorado. |
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