Freddie Freeman had a succinct message for Braves teammate Ronald Acuna after Sunday’s incident in which Acuna failed to run out a hit.
“I told him that in my eyes he’s got a chance to be the best player in this league, and the best players in the league don’t do that,” Freeman said Tuesday, commenting publicly on the matter for the first time. “So that’s kind of what I told him in my two-minute conversation (with him) during the game, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Acuna, who was held to a single after standing and admiring what he incorrectly thought would be a home run, was lifted from the game by manager Brian Snitker. Freeman praised how Snitker handled the matter and how Acuna reacted afterward.
“That’s not how we do things,” Freeman said of Acuna’s failure to run, “but that was two days ago.
“I think he’s going to learn. He shook his head yes to everything I had to say. He knows he made a mistake, and I think he’s going to be great going forward. I complimented him as I got mad at him.”
The telecast of the game showed Freeman having a conversation with Snitker in the dugout after the incident.
“That was me telling Snit what I told Ronald,” Freeman said. “That’s how that conversation went. I was completely on board with Snit. I think he handled it perfectly. I think Ronald handled it perfectly after the game. And we get to just move forward because in my eyes he has a chance to be the best player in this league, and I think going forward he’s going to act like it.”
Acuna is back in the lineup as the Braves’ center fielder and leadoff hitter for Tuesday night’s game against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park.
“I said (Sunday) that as soon as we put our head on the pillow and wake up, everything is over,” Snitker said Tuesday. “We start a new day … and all that other stuff is yesterday’s news. You can wrap some dead fish in it. That’s what it’s good for.”
