Ronald Acuna Jr. reacts to winning 2023 NL MVP Award unanimously: "Living a dream come true”

Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. unanimously won the National League MVP Award on Thursday night, beating Los Angeles Dodgers duo Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Acuna Jr. won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2018, and some back then expected that he would win this award. He also won his second Silver Slugger Award this year.

He ended the season with an astounding 73 bases, which made him the Braves' record holder for most steals in a season. He was undoubtedly one of the most entertaining players to watch this season.

“From the day that I got to the league, right away, I always knew that I wanted to win an MVP. It was always a dream of mine, and I’m living a dream come true” said Acuna Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. is just the fifth Braves player to win the MVP award. The last one was Freddie Freeman in 2020. Before Freeman, it was Chipper Jones in 1999.

Acuna ended the season hitting .337/.416/.596 with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs and 149 runs. Of course, he benefitted from the rule changes this season, but it was still magical.

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Ronald Acuna Jr. surged this season

Ronald Acuna Jnr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. took the baseball world by storm this season. From Spring Training to the end of the regular season, he did things that wowed fans regularly.

It was thought that he would have the MVP award wrapped up in the middle of the season, but Mookie Betts did his best to keep it close. Betts ended the regular season with a better WAR than Acuna, but it was not enough.

Acuna worked hard over the offseason to ensure his success in 2023. After winning the MVP, he's is in his home country of Venezuela, playing winter ball.

That's the type of competition he is. While most are resting and recovering from a grueling MLB season, Acuna does not want to see his season end. He just wants to play ball.

Expect him to keep pressing on and come out hot next season. He and the Braves had their season cut short after losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. They will look to enact revenge next season and go to the World Series.