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Things got chippy between Ronald Acuna Jr. and Johan Oviedo early in Saturday's matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. Oviedo threw a pitch inside to Acuna Jr. in the first inning, which the slugger took exception to.
Acuna Jr. had some words for Oviedo, and Oviedo returned the favor. Both players took a few steps toward each other before their teammates rushed to the field to hold them back.
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No ejections were had, and both players were allowed to stay in the game. However, Oviedo would only last 3.2 innings before being pulled. He did not have his best stuff out there, giving up three runs on nine hits.
The last thing Ronald Acuna Jr. wants to deal with is a potential injury from a hit-by-pitch. He is a strong candidate to win the National League MVP Award with how he has played this season.
This is great for baseball. First Weaver plunking the dude for the pitch clock shenanigans, now this. Lots of head games being played. Acuna is a stud and didn't like it. Make him pay then" one fan posted.
"Just let them fight like in NHL. Watch how many people stop chirping" another fan posted.
Many MLB fans love any time the benches clear during a game. They like seeing the game get policed by its players.
No other incidents stemmed from this game. Both sides cooled off after some time, and baseball resumed play.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is looking to finish the season healthy
Ronald Acuna Jr. desperately wants to finish the season on a healthy note. He has a long history of injuries that has kept him out of more games than he would like.
During the 2021 season, he tore his ACL in July. It caused him to miss the rest of the season, which was unfortunate. The Atlanta Braves went on to win the World Series with Acuna Jr. watching from the sidelines.
Given how good the Braves look this season, they have a great opportunity to capture another World Series title. They hold a 92-48 record, the best in the league.
They have put themselves in a great position to prepare for the postseason. Manager Brian Snitker can rest players as he sees fit since they hold a 14.5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Braves will be a team everybody will want to stay away from, once the postseason rolls along.
