Why Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos wants Ronald Acuna to steal fewer bases

This year, Alex Anthopoulos hopes Ronald Acuna Jr. will be cautious.

After losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS for the second straight year, general manager Alex Anthopoulos and the Atlanta Braves are getting ready for a high-pressure 2024 MLB season. Despite Ronald Acuña Jr.’s recent injury scare, Anthopolous will thankfully have a healthy player in the Braves lineup. Despite this, Anthopoulos continues to publicly urge the superstar to be a little more cautious in the upcoming season.

Recently, Anthopoulos revealed why, in 2024, he would want to see Acuña be a little less brazen when aiming for stolen bases.

“I mean, 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases—it’s fantastic, right? You worry about stolen bases at work. As stated by Anthopoulos on YouTube, “You get a finger, you get a hand, and you get a wrist, but that’s the way he plays; that’s who he is.” “This guy is a baseball enthusiast; forget about his MVP status and other accolades. You may find anything online or on the internet. He enjoys playing the game, and he plays in leagues and parks throughout the winter. That’s the nature of his play; that’s the enthusiasm he brings to the game.

True, Ronald Acuña Jr.’s exceptional rate of base-stealing accounts for much of his excellence, but these plays may be risky, particularly when they accumulate throughout a season. In just a few short weeks, the Braves will play their first game in 2024 in Philadelphia against the Phillies.