Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. announced that he would be participating in this year's Home Run Derby, and the fan reaction was surprising. While some are excited to watch one of the most electric players in Major League Baseball compete, many more are concerned.
Ronald Acuna Jr. missed the majority of the 2021 season with an ACL injury, which has fans wary about him trying to do too much. There is also concern about how the Home Run Derby could affect his swing. Sometimes competitors will train on just a home run swing for the competition, then find it difficult to transition back to their original swing.
.@ronaldacunajr24 is back and coming for the crown!Catch him in the #HRDerby next Monday night in LA! https://t.co/OJ9xJL0OD5
This announcement was met with nervous angst and fears about potential negatives. Ronald Acuna Jr. has participated in this event before and a slump did occur shortly after. It's difficult to say if the Home Run Derby caused the slump, but fans fear it will happen again.
@MLB @ronaldacunajr24 @TMobile @Braves Whyyyy last time it fucked him up
Baseball is the ultimate team sport. This, however, is an individual event that does little to help the team.
@Braves @ronaldacunajr24 Unpopular opinion…but I wish he would just rest instead.
The Atlanta Braves slugger will be challenging for the crown, but fans seem to be almost solely focused on the risks involved.
Atlanta Braves fan base fears potential decline after Ronald Acuna Jr. announcement
The Atlanta Braves are finally within striking distance of the New York Mets for the National League East crown. This race certainly seems like it will come down to the wire and every win will matter, so fans are apprehensive about their star's participation.
@Braves @ronaldacunajr24 Very selfish. Sit this one out man.
Pete Alonso of the New York Mets will also compete this year, looking for his third straight Home Run Derby victory. Many see the result as a foregone conclusion and think Acuna Jr. would be better off sitting this one out.
@MLB @ronaldacunajr24 @TMobile @Braves Tell lil bro sit back he get tired too fast let Pete handle it
Ronald Acuna Jr. is a pure competitor who wouldn't miss this opportunity to test his skills for any reason. Despite his obvious excitement for the event, recent struggles at the plate are giving fans pause.
Not a fan of this honestly. He's already struggling at the plate, doesn't need to mess his swing up anymore. I need pre-injury Ronnie back! twitter.com/MLB/status/154…
Ronald Acuna Jr. is one of the brightest stars in the MLB, but some dispute his qualifications to compete. He has only eight home runs this season. It is hard to believe any player will enter this year's Home Run Derby with fewer.
@Braves @ronaldacunajr24 Having 8 HR and being in the derby is a joke.
If the worst fears of the Atlanta Braves fan base are somehow realized, whether it be an injury or a slump, the results could be disastrous. Every win will matter if the team hopes to win the NL East, and Acuna Jr. will have to be a key contributor.
I'm worried about my braves in the 2nd half now. twitter.com/Braves/status/…
This year's Home Run Derby added a lot of starpower with the inclusion of Ronald Acuna Jr. Unfortunately, fans of the Braves met this with more trepidation than anticipation.
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