It seems Ronald Acuna has found his form. The 23-year-old outfielder homered again Monday in the Braves’ 5-1 win over the Twins. He’s launched a home run in two consecutive games and three of his last four contests.
Acuna was having a tame spring before his recent outburst. He had only one hit in his first five games. He now has four hits in his past four, including the three homers.
“When he gets in that mode, it’s something fun to watch,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Good takes. He’s not chasing. You can tell, seeing the at-bats, that he’s getting locked in a little bit.”
Not that anybody was concerned with Acuna’s spring production, but it’s still a welcomed sight for the Braves and their fans to see a preview of what’s expected to come.
Notes from Monday:
- Keeping with the slow-starts theme, slugger Marcell Ozuna only had two hits in his first 16 at-bats. He doubled in his first plate appearance Monday and added a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
Last year, Ozuna was 2-for-24 before spring training shut down due to the pandemic. Ozuna later said he used the off time to get himself into better shape. He hit the ground running in the regular season, flirting with the triple crown in his career-best campaign.
“As this thing plays out, in the next two weeks, I don’t expect (the lack of production) to continue,” Snitker said Sunday. “Those kind of guys, they need consistent reps. I know there’s a couple stretches here coming up where we’ll play him three days in a row. I know things like that will be good. But I don’t worry about it. He’s one you don’t worry about. When the lights come on and that thing gets real, so will he.”
- Cristian Pache showcased his laser arm in center field, firing a throw to catcher Alex Jackson at home plate to tag Nick Gordon out in the third inning. It was a big help for starter Bryse Wilson, who gave up three consecutive singles in the frame but didn’t allow a run. It also reminded Wilson of a sequence in the Gulf Coast League when Pache threw out back-to-back runners at home.
“He’s unbelievable,” Wilson said. “I played with him at pretty much every level. That guy, he can really play centerfield. It’s very exciting to watch. He’s an incredible defensive player.”
Pache’s defense has been a popular topic since the Braves reported last month. He’s expected to make his first opening-day start in center field April 1.
“I didn’t realize, but I guess when we did our 1-on-1 with him, I think he has the best arm in the major leagues, velocity-wise, I believe” Snitker said. “I’ve always loved watching him throw, I know that. That was good to see. He had a lot of momentum behind him. Fun play.”
- Veteran right-hander Chris Martin made his spring debut, collecting two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. Martin had been doing his work on the backfields over the past month but he’ll appear in more games as opening day draws closer. While Will Smith is expected to receive the bulk of closing work, there will be situations the Braves call on Martin to finish games.
“(Martin) doesn’t need a whole lot (of game work),” Snitker said. “He hasn’t missed anything. He’d been getting his innings in. It was good to get him in competition. I’m sure he liked facing someone else other than our guys. The biggest thing is keeping him upright and healthy because that guy has the strike zone, he has pitches. He’s a very valuable piece in our bullpen.”
- Kyle Wright will make his fourth start Tuesday against the Red Sox. Wright, who’s a leading candidate for the potential rotation opening, pitched four scoreless innings in his last outing against the Rays.
