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Ronald Acuna Jr.'s return from injury has rejuvenated the Atlanta Braves. The 2023 NL MVP missed the early part of the ongoing season, but since his return, he has already hit nine homers and is batting at an average close to .400.
Acuna Jr.'s latest homer came against the New York Mets in the series' first game on Monday. The solo home run came in the top of the third inning, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead. They went on to win the game 3-2.
Interestingly, Acuna Jr.'s flashy celebration after the dinger was serenaded with boos by the Mets fans. Former Yankees coach and Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey shared his thoughts about the celebration on Tuesday's episode of "The Mayor's Office with Sean Casey."
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"There’s so many ways to look at this, Chance. I still look at the standard as Aaron Judge. Aaron Judge, for me, is the standard. He’s the best player in the world," Casey said (From 8:25).
"Like an inside linebacker that wants to make 20 tackles a game or 15 tackles a game isn’t celebrating every tackle, you know what I mean? That’s your job. Your job is to tackle guys and make plays."
Yankees captain Aaron Judge doesn't celebrate much despite scoring close to 30 homers this season. Casey pointed out the Judge's homer in Monday's game against the Reds.
Even though it was a no-doubter, the 2x AL MVP ran immediately as the shot went off, showcasing his hustle mentality. He believes Aaron Judge's mentality is influenced by his father, Wayne, a teacher.
Meanwhile, Sean Casey also pointed out one possible reason behind Ronald Acuna Jr.'s flashy celebration. In April, his younger half-brother, Luisangel, was the National League Rookie of the Month. However, his performances were subpar since then, and the Mets optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday.
"The Mets just sent down his brother, Casey said (from 8:05). I was thinking, is there a little bit, you know, you're always looking forward to meeting up with your brother. You’re like, 'Okay, you look at the schedule, I'm coming into New York, can't wait to get dinner with my brother or breakfast,' and they sent him down."
Reds legend Sean Casey points to the cultural factor in Ronald Acuna Jr.'s celebration
Baseball players from the Latin American nations often bring a different flair to the game. Sean Casey believes that Ronald Acuna Jr.'s celebration could also be seen as how the Latin American players play the game.
"The Latino guys would always talk about in winter ball, dude, this is normal. Normal. Have that little flow, little dance and little fun, show your personality. So, you know, also I think it’s a cultural thing too. Like, I think there’s something to be said that, like why not, man?" Casey said (from 9:50).
Interestingly, Ronald Acuna Jr.'s homer also had another significance. It was a day before his wife's birthday. Maria Laborde, his wife, considered the dinger an early birthday gift from her husband.
