The Atlanta Braves are the best team in the NL East so far, with a 29-18 record.
They hold a 4.5-game advantage over the second-place New York Mets.
The Braves have a deep and talented roster, but Ronald Acuna Jr. has been the main reason behind their dominance.
After a rather discrete season in 2022, the star outfielder is coming back with a bang.
He is hitting, as of Tuesday afternoon, a strong .342/.430/.598 with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases.
Oh, he also has 46 runs in 47 games.
That’s insane!
What’s really insane, however, are his projections for the season as a whole.
“UPDATED Acuña projected totals: .329, 39 HR, 95 RBI, 63 SB 10.6 bWAR. That would make him the first 30/60 player in MLB history (30+HR, 60+ SB). Also on pace for 155 runs. It’s been 93 years since anyone scored 155 times in a season,” @Fried_Baseball tweeted.
UPDATED Acuña projected totals:
.329, 39 HR, 95 RBI, 63 SB
10.6 bWAR
That would make him the first 30/60 player in MLB history (30+HR, 60+ SB).
Also on pace for 155 runs. It’s been 93 years since anyone scored 155 times in a season. pic.twitter.com/RNaWtsWjI1
— KC Covington (@Fried_Baseball) May 22, 2023
Those are some crazy projections.
Acuna is on pace to become the first ever 30-60 player.
Projections are one thing, but the fact they are there doesn’t necessarily mean the player will reach them.
They don’t account for slumps, injuries, suspensions, and other things: they just use the information about his performance to date.
If he somehow manages to finish with that 30-60 season, the NL MVP award will likely be his.
Those numbers would be extremely impressive.
Even if he “settles” for a 30-50 campaign, he would be making history: only Barry Bonds and Eric Davis have a season like that.
Acuna makes baseball exciting and entertaining, and is a joy to watch.
He plays hard, and most importantly, has game-changing power and speed.
NEXT:
Ronald Acuna Jr. Picked Up A Rare Type Of Stolen Base
