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MLB Makes Massive Ronald Acuña Jr. Announcement On Wednesday Night

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 7:48 PM ET

Ronald Acuña Jr. was jeered at and thrown at after opposing players took issue with his pimping a home run in Atlanta’s 7-4 win over the stumbling rival New York Mets on Tuesday.

Acuña, who is batting .396 with a 1.213 OPS since his return, is clearly wearing his success on his sleeve after missing another season with a torn ACL. Longtime MLB first baseman Sean Casey even suggested Acuña look to veteran Aaron Judge for how he conducts himself.

However, MLB clearly sees Acuña’s boisterous personality as great TV, and the league confirmed that Acuña would represent the Braves in next month’s Home Run Derby.

Acuña, who is the first player to confirm his derby participation, will look to become the fourth player to win a derby in his home park, a feat last accomplished by Bryce Harper in 2018.

Harper was the third to do so, along with Todd Frazier ( Cincinnati Reds) in 2015 and Ryne Sandberg (Chicago Cubs) in 1990, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs.

Acuña participated in both the 2019 and 2022 Home Run derbies and was bounced by Mets slugger Pete Alonso both times. Alonso eliminated Acuña in the 2019 semifinals, whereas in 2022, it occurred in the first round.

Ultimately, Acuña will be the first of many young stars to take the stage in Atlanta, but he’ll likely be the most closely watched as he looks to win it for Atlanta on the big stage.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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