Ronald Acuña Jr. is back: Braves star wins National League Player of the Month

MIAMI — Through this first part of the season, as Ronald Acuña Jr. has flashed all five tools while sparking the Braves, almost everyone watching him has had the same thought and reached the same conclusion.

He’s back.

Acuña was voted the National League Player of the Month for April. This is the second time Acuña has won NL Player of the Month – the first being for April 2021.

ExploreMore AJC coverage of the Braves

“I’m very happy to be named Player of the Month,” Acuña told reporters through interpreter Franco García. “I’ve worked really hard to stay physically ready and healthy, and I’m really happy and proud of that.”

Added Braves manager Brian Snitker: “Very well-deserved. I’m happy for him. It’s nice when you’re recognized for the really good things that you’ve done, and he’s had a really great start to the year. We expect him to keep going.”

The last Braves player to receive the honor: Austin Riley in July 2022.

Acuña looks like himself again after he sustained a torn ACL in July 2021 – with the explosiveness and speed and power – and has been one of the better players in baseball to this point. A lot of the season remains, but this is a good start to a potential MVP campaign for Acuña. He’s one of baseball’s more dynamic players, someone who can change games with one swing or one play in the outfield.

From the beginning of spring, Snitker could tell Acuña, who last year returned from a torn ACL, looked more like himself.

“Just how he was running around,” Snitker said. “He came early to camp. I think he was excited to get going. Actually, when he went to the (World Baseball Classic), he was ready. He’d been in camp three weeks. He was in good shape. You could just tell watching him do the drills and everything, watching him hit and the whole thing, that the kid’s healthy and he’s having fun again.”

Over 27 games to begin the season, Acuña batted .352 with a .986 OPS. He hit nine doubles and four home runs. He drove in 14 runs. He stole 13 bases to lead all of baseball.

He also reached base safely in 26 of his first 27 games played, hit safely in 20 of them and scored at least one run in 17. He has done it all for the Braves, who have benefited from having the best version of him at the top of their lineup.

Acuña notched five three-hit games over the season’s first month and began May with one more. His six three-hit games are tied for the MLB lead after he recorded only six such games over 119 contests last season.

Acuña tallied 31 hits through the team’s first 20 games of the season, which were the most by a Braves player since Hall of Famer Chipper Jones had 34 in 2008, when he eventually won the NL batting title.

Acuña has been particularly dangerous leading off games. His 14 hits in the first inning through the first month were the most in the majors. His first-inning double April 25 marked his 16th time on base to lead off a game this season.

Acuña stole his 13th base April 25, which marked the most by any player through his team’s first 24 games since Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton (13) in 2015. And that stolen base was the 120th of Acuña’s career, meaning he reached 120 stolen bases and 120 home runs in the fewest games played (538). He passed Eric Davis, who got to those marks in 559 games.

And then there’s Acuña’s defense, which has been outstanding this season. It seems like he makes a jaw-dropping play in right field almost daily. His speed allows him to get to almost any ball, and his athletic ability allows him to finish most plays, like leaping catches at the wall.

Last season, Acuña didn’t look like himself. The ACL injury seemed to affect him physically and mentally. He had a decent season for the average player, but not by his standards.

Over a month-plus of this season, it seems like he’s returned to his elite form. If it continues, the sky’s the limit for Acuña and the Braves.

Five years ago, Acuña won NL Rookie of the Year. He’s since won two Silver Slugger Awards and received three All-Star nods.

Could the NL MVP award be next?

For now, Acuña simply will try to continue his hot start.

“I just go out to have fun,” he said. “I think that’s part of the success.”