ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. had a triple and a double Friday, but everyone was talking afterward about his spectacular defensive play to end the third inning.
With one out and two on, Cody Bellinger hit a fly ball to the right-field corner. Acuña made what looked like a casual catch, then stunned the Yankees’ Jorbit Vivas and everyone else at Truist Park by turning and firing a perfect, flat-footed throw that reached Alvarez on the fly. He tagged Vivas for the inning-ending double play.
.@ronaldacunajr24 with a perfect throw! 🥶#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/OGA48k4Nnl
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 19, 2025
“That was like a Roberto Clemente throw,” manager Brian Snitker said. “That was big, too. Spencer (Strider) was working his tail off the whole game, so any help he could get like that was huge.”
Acuña said through an interpreter: “I think I just always try to anticipate those plays. That’s really what I always try to focus on is just anticipating the play before it happens. I wasn’t really trying to do anything besides that. I was just trying to get ready, and thankfully, I have a good arm and I have confidence in it.”
Did it rank among the best throws Snitker ever saw?
“Yeah. His accuracy is stupid,” he said. “I remember when he was a kid and he would come with us on (spring training) trips. And I remember (Terry Pendleton) and I were sitting in Jupiter one day, and he made a play down the line there and threw somebody out at second. And I asked T.P., ‘Who is that?’ And it was Ronald.
“I’ve said for a long time that he’s a weapon in right field. His arm is so strong and accurate. The ball carries, his release is good. He’s special out there. He’s a weapon.”
The play caught both Strider and Alvarez off guard. Alvarez said he wasn’t deking the runner, he just didn’t expect Acuña to throw to third. Strider wasn’t backing up the play because he thought the ball was going foul and was asking for a new ball from the umpire when Acuña made the play.
“So it’s a good thing that the ball didn’t get away at third,” Strider said. “Because I wouldn’t have been nowhere near where I needed to be. He’s a baseball player and a good actor, too. That was a great deke.”
Strider said he realized the play was live when he saw everyone turn their heads to third base on the throw. He was relieved the throw was spot-on accurate.
“Like I said, I was asking for a ball from the umpire,” he said. “I was not where I needed to be, so that’s honestly on me. Big screw up.”
Asked if it was one of the best throws he’s ever made, Acuña said, “I would say so, one of the best in my career.”
Austin Riley details injury as he takes batting practice
Austin Riley taking batting practice Friday was a welcome sight for the Atlanta Braves, who hope to have the third baseman back from the 10-day injury list next week.
He got hurt in Friday’s game in St. Louis while making a throw on a bunt play.
“I’m not exactly sure (when I’ll be activated), but I’m on day seven of this thing and I feel like I’ve taken big strides,” Riley said. “Swung a little bit in the cage today, did some (infield) drills with Walt (Weiss). I feel good. Knowing me, I’m gonna do everything to get back as quick as possible.”
He said this injury is less serious than his strained midsection in May 2024, which caused Riley to miss 14 games and affected his power for a couple of weeks after returning.
“Definitely (not as bad),” he said. “It’s a different area. It’s the lower abdomen. Last year was the oblique. But I definitely don’t feel like it’s anywhere to what that was last year.”
While home in Mississippi for the All-Star Break, Riley had daily physical therapy sessions in nearby Memphis.
He’s still trying to figure out how he got hurt making a routine cross-body throw after charging in and fielding the ball bare-handed. He felt it when he made the throw on the bunt from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Yohel Pozo.
“I felt it there,” he said. “And then (Willson) Contreras hit one, I think an inning later, and it grabbed on me there. I’m a little confused on how it happened. I prepare really well before the games and make sure that my body’s ready. I felt like I checked all the boxes that I need to get ready for the game. Not sure how it happened.”
Rookie Nacho Alvarez Jr. has played strong defense while filling in, including a terrific play in the ninth inning of Friday’s 7-3 win over the New York Yankees when he sprinted back in foul territory and caught Austin Wells’ pop-up before tumbling over the tarp and wall.
“That was a great play by Nacho,” Braves starter Spencer Strider said. “Just tracking the ball. And obviously, there’s some hazards down there. Very selfless and athletic play.”
However, Alvarez has hit .122 with no extra-base hits, one walk and 12 strikeouts in 11 major-league games, including eight last season in his first big-league stint.
Profar leads off, Acuña third again
Get used to Jurickson Profar batting leadoff and Acuña hitting third, as long as it produces the kind of results it has in the past three games.
Profar had a single and a walk in the first two innings Friday after going 4-for-10 in the last two games before the break. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, he had a .346 average and .925 OPS in 27 games batting leadoff with the San Diego Padres and the Braves. Until Friday.
In what seemed almost unimaginable — that Snitker would bat Acuña anywhere but leadoff — the superstar is looking comfortable after the first three games of his career batting third. He’s getting a lot more plate appearances with runners in scoring position, a big reason for the move.
“I think for the first time I finally feel like a power hitter,” Acuña said, smiling. “But I think once Riley’s back, he’ll probably resume his post.”
Snitker wasn’t as certain about that when he heard Acuña’s comment.
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “I kind of like (Acuña) there. I like that top three right there, I think that’s pretty good. I’ve always envisioned him being that guy. We’ll see, but I don’t think Austin’s gonna care where he hits either.”
On whether he has thought about lengthening the lineup with Riley batting lower in the order, Snitker said, “Absolutely. When you put Austin, wherever down there, it lengthens it really good. I like it. I like Profar leading off. He had a really good year last year leading off. I kind of like the flow of what that does right now.”
Baldwin, Murphy in lineup again
In a similar vein, Snitker plans to continue having catchers Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy in the lineup together, one in the DH role, for as long as they continue hitting. Both had hits to start the fourth inning before Ozzie Albies’ homer, which is what Snitker likes about both hot-hitting catchers being in the lineup together.
“Exactly,” Snitker said. “Those guys have been having really good at-bats, both of them. If you do good and you produce, you’re gonna play. And I think we can keep both of their bats in the lineup and not wear either one of them out catching. It could be a nice little tandem.”
Daily DH duties were Marcell Ozuna’s alone for more than two seasons, but even though he was the second-best DH in baseball over the past two seasons and into the early part of this season, he’s been in a slump since late May, batting .187 with four homers and a .586 OPS in his past 38 games.
Ozuna does have two homers in his past four starts, potentially drawing trade interest if the Braves decide to move the pending free agent before the July 31 deadline. However, as a 10-and-5 player (10 years of service, five with current team), Ozuna has trade veto rights.
Baldwin’s .830 OPS was the fifth-highest by any rookie catcher in 50 seasons at the All-Star break. His and Murphy’s combined 24 home runs were the second-most by any team’s catchers at the break, trailing the Seattle Mariners (33) and Cal Raleigh’s historic season.
Murphy had seven homers in his past 12 games (11 starts) before Friday, when he drew a first-inning walk and hit a third-inning double in front of Albies’ homer.
(Photo of Ronald Acuña Jr.: Kathryn Skeean / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
