BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 21: Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles runs down the first base line on a ground out in the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 21, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Braves Star Snubbed in MLB Player Rankings
The Atlanta Braves‘ cornerstone, Ronald Acuña Jr., might not crack Bleacher Report’s top 10 franchise cornerstones, but here’s a better question: What would the Braves be without him?
Atlanta just won its first series since May 18th. They’re nine games under .500 and spiraling through a season that no longer feels like a hangover from 2023—it feels like something closer to an identity crisis. But while the bullpen unravels and the lineup misfires, Acuña has done what few other players can: make a last-place team must-watch television.
Forget rankings. Acuña isn’t just a top-10 player; he’s the reason Braves fans haven’t completely tuned out.
The Numbers Aren’t Just Back—They’re Loud
If Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wants to fixate on Acuña’s lack of stolen bases post-ACL recovery, fine. But let’s not pretend this is a player trying to scrape together his former self. This is a player who’s exploded back into relevance with a 1.083 OPS, six homers in 18 games, and a 1.3 fWAR that projects to a 10-win season. That’s rarified air—numbers that sound like something out of Shohei Ohtani‘s MVP reel.
And he’s doing it after two ACL surgeries in both knees.
This isn’t a return to form—it’s a reinvention. Acuña isn’t just healthy; he’s smarter, more selective, and, in some ways, more dangerous. The stolen bases may be on pause, but the power isn’t.
Why Is He Getting Penalized for Being the Braves’ Lifeline?
Let’s be honest: If the Braves were winning, Acuña’s stock would be skyrocketing. But they’re not. Atlanta is a mess, and somehow, Acuña is being lumped into that dysfunction, as if his bat has anything to do with their bullpen’s nightly implosions.
Since returning, he’s outperforming guys ranked well above him on Miller’s list: Bobby Witt Jr., Juan Soto, and even Ohtani over this stretch. But because the Braves are buried in the standings, Acuña is treated like a great player on a bad team rather than a great player doing everything possible to save a bad team.
