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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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Jarred Kelenic thought he had a home run Saturday night against the Minnesota Twins. When his soaring fly ball clanged off the right-field wall at Truist Park, the Atlanta Braves outfielder was caught flat-footed.
Kelenic was so slow getting out of the batter's box watching the baseball, the Twins were able to throw him out at second base. After initially being ruled safe, the Twins challenged the call and were credited with the out on a diving tag by shortstop Carlos Correa. Kelenic was credited with a single.
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Kelenic's lack of hustle prompted justified anger from fans. Mark Bowman of MLB.com responded on Twitter/X to a comment from one fan who asked if Braves manager Brian Snitker commented on Kelenic's miscue after the game.
"(Snitker) protected Kelenic by replying 'Was I supposed to' when asked if he had said anything to Kelenic," Bowman wrote. "He certainly could have said something, seeing how Kelenic's home run trot put him on the dugout side of the first base coach's box when the ball hit the wall."
Bowman's post inspired an unsolicited reply from a surprising source: Ronald Acuña Jr.
The 2023 National League MVP wrote, "If it were me, they would take me out of the game."
Acuña, 27, apparently has been slow to forget a similar sequence in 2019. Snitker removed him from a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he did not hustle out of the batter's box on a deep fly ball. The ball bounced off the right-field wall for a long single.
Snitker not only spoke with Acuña immediately after the play — he replaced his young star with veteran Adam Duvall.
Acuña has not played this season while he recovers from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season in May.
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Although six years have passed since Acuña was removed from a game under similar circumstances (by Snitker, the same manager), he clearly feels the same standard should apply to other players today.
Typically, that sentiment is expressed behind closed doors. Acuña felt comfortable airing his apparent grievance in a very public way.
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Acuña is among the game's best players when healthy. In 2023, he hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases while leading the NL in OPS (1.012), earning his first MVP award unanimously.
Acuña won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and signed a long-term contract extension prior to the 2019 season.
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