Ronald Acuña Jr. finally found his rhythm again during the Atlanta Braves’ dominant 11-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.
Atlanta extended its winning streak to eight games and now holds a commanding lead atop the National League East. With momentum firmly on their side, the Braves will now head to New York for a road series against the Yankees.
Acuña was one of the biggest stories of the night, launching two home runs in the series finale. His first blast got an unexpected assist when two Marlins outfielders were unable to keep the ball from clearing the left-field wall, but it counted just the same. The multi-homer performance could be exactly what the star outfielder needs as he looks to heat up down the stretch.
Manager Walt Weiss Comments on Ronald Acuña Jr.
After Thursday’s win, Braves manager Walt Weiss shared his thoughts on Acuña’s two-homer performance and explained why he’s encouraged by the way the former MVP has been swinging the bat.
“Yeah, he got a little help there [on the first one],” said Walt Weiss. “But swinging the bat good, he’s hit some balls hard. You know, the second homer, it didn’t go all that far, but he’s got that ability to go opposite field, and even when he doesn’t click it real good, it can still go. He went to the short part of the park I understand, but I mean it was high; his opposite-field power is insane. So, even when he doesn’t get it all, he still hits it out.”
Weiss highlighted one of Acuña’s greatest strengths—his remarkable opposite-field power. Few hitters in baseball can drive the ball the other way with the same authority. Even when Acuña doesn’t square the ball up perfectly, he still has enough strength to send it over the fence, making him one of the league’s most dangerous offensive threats.
Looking at Ronald Acuña Jr’s Season Thus Far
Although Ronald Acuña Jr.’s 2026 campaign has been interrupted by two separate trips to the injured list, his impact on Atlanta’s lineup remains undeniable. The Braves have consistently looked like a more dangerous offense whenever their superstar is in the lineup.
While his production hasn’t quite matched some of the historic numbers he’s posted in previous seasons, Acuña continues to influence games in multiple ways every night.
Through 234 at-bats this season, Acuña has recorded 11 home runs, 39 runs scored, 27 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, and a 119 OPS+.
For his career, Acuña owns a 140 OPS+ and has built one of the most decorated résumés in baseball, earning five MLB All-Star selections, one National League MVP award, and three Silver Slugger honors.