Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. made a show-stopping defensive play on Friday — but that didn’t stop the Yankees’ broadcast team from calling out the Bronx Bombers’ baserunning.
In the top of the third inning, Acuña caught a fly ball from Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger and nailed a Jorbit Vivas tagging from second to third base on a perfect, no-hop throw, preventing New York from putting runners on first and third with Aaron Judge up next to hit.
It was a tough gaffe in New York’s 7-3 loss in their first game back from the All-Star break.
Yankees announcers Michael Kay and Joe Girardi reacted to the play on YES Network, citing the missed opportunity for the team, which couldn’t manage to score in the inning after the double play.
“That can’t happen. Those are little things that cost you a chance to have Aaron Judge hit with 1st and 3rd,” Girardi, the former Yankees skipper, said.
“You just took the bat out of Aaron Judge’s hands,” Kay said. “First of all, you’re not running hard to third, then you don’t slide. As you said, perfect word, inexcusable.”
“The Yankees have to tighten up their baserunning. This has been going on for a month now,” Kay added.
Acuña, who was named an All-Star for the fifth time in his career this week, is just two seasons removed from winning National League MVP for a Braves team that won 104 games in 2023.
The outfielder tore his ACL in May of the 2024 season and underwent season-ending surgery, returning to action on May 23 of this year — hitting a homer on the first pitch he saw.
This year, he’s attempting to return to form, so far at 12 home runs in 22 RBIs through just 45 games in the first half of this season.
So far, he has a 1.025 OPS and is among the league leaders in hitting with a .323 batting average on the year.
