MLB Twitter reacts to Ronald Acuna Jr.’s frustration at not being allowed to play in World Baseball Classic: "He should request a trade"

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) begins in a few months, and Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. may not be able to take part. Since Acuna Jr. is one of the most electric baseball players in the world, his absence from an international tournament would be disappointing. Acuna Jr. is Venezuelan and would clearly love to represent his team, but he says he is being held back.

The World Baseball Classic has grown in popularity since its inception in 2006. The 2023 tournament will be played all over the globe and is shaping up to be a star-studded event. Due to the fact that many of the players are signed to MLB contracts, there is a great deal of cooperation that goes into the event.

Ronald Acuna Jr. vented his frustrations regarding not being allowed to play in the WBC on his personal Instagram. The post was shared to Twitter and translated into English by Daniel Álvarez-Montes.

"If MLB is organizing the event, why are some players getting permission to play and others don’t? I’m one of them." (translated)

Based on what we know about the situation, it is likely the Atlanta Braves are preventing Ronald Acuna Jr. from playing, not the MLB. He is coming off a serious knee injury that kept him out of the start of the 2022 season. Given the amount the Braves have invested in Acuna Jr., it is not surprising they don't want to risk re-aggravating that injury.

Fans were quick to react to Acuna Jr.'s social media post, with some siding with the Braves and others expressing their concern over the situation.

This is an interesting tightrope that teams have to walk for the WBC. Obviously, they don't want their players to risk injury in a tournament that is meaningless to the MLB. However, they also need to keep their stars happy. Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout would similarly not be too happy if the Los Angeles Angels prevented them from playing, for example.

Fans around the world want to see Ronald Acuna Jr. compete against the very best the world has to offer. The World Baseball Classic is a celebration of the sport, and it would be a shame if fear of potential injury prevents a top player from participating.

Ronald Acuna Jr. is poised for an incredible 2023 season

Pittsburgh Pirates v Atlanta Braves

Acuna Jr. should be fully healthy by the time Opening Day rolls around this year. He came off the Injured List during the 2022 season and was still selected to the All-Star team.

In 2023, he will likely be an MVP candidate leading a World Series contender, assuming he can stay healthy.