Ronald Acuña Jr. (26-Atlanta Braves) is one home run away from becoming the first Major League Baseball (MLB) player to reach the 30-homer, 60-double milestone.
Acuña Jr. started in right field and went 4-for-5 with a home run, one walk, five RBIs, four runs scored, and two stolen bases against the Colorado Rockies in the 2023 MLB World Series at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, on Monday.
Acuña Jr. had 28 home runs and 59 RBIs prior to the game, and with two more stolen bases on the day, he joined the 20-homer, 60-RBI club.
Only four players in MLB history have ever hit 20 or more home runs and stolen 60 or more bases in the same season, including Acuña Jr.
Rickey Henderson did it three times (1985-1986-1990), Joe Morgan (1973-1976) did it twice, and Eric Davis did it in 1986.
The most recent 20-homer-60-RBI player to accomplish the feat was Henderson in 1990, and it took Aquino Jr. 33 years to accomplish the feat.
With his 29th home run of the season, Acuña Jr. needs just one more to become the first player in history to reach 30 home runs and 60 steals.
No player in MLB history has ever hit 30 or more home runs and stolen 60 or more bases at the same time.
After breaking into the big leagues with Atlanta in 2018, Acuña Jr. broke out in his rookie year, batting .293 with 26 home runs, 64 RBIs, 16 doubles, and 78 runs scored.
He has since posted double-digit home runs and stolen bases every year except 2020, when teams played a shortened 60-game season.
This season, Aquino Jr. is a strong candidate for National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) after batting .335 with 29 home runs, 79 RBI, 61 doubles, 119 runs scored and a .990 OPS.
After reaching base on a grounder to third in the first inning, Aquino Jr. drew a walk with the bases loaded in the third inning and hit a two-run homer to center field with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of the seventh, he led off with a single up the middle and stole second base to reach the 60-steal plateau for the season. In the top of the eighth, he singled to right with the bases loaded and stole second again.스포츠토토
With the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, Acuña Jr. stole second.
Atlanta went on to win the game, 14-4, thanks in large part to Acuña’s performance.