‘High Standard’: Braves struggling sluggers getting his groove back

“I won’t lie, I felt great. “It’s been a while since I felt that way,” Acuna told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It was nice to be able to kind of regain that feeling, but obviously the most important thing and the most satisfying thing was to be able to help the team win.”

The Braves defeated the New York Mets 4-2 on Friday thanks to the outfielder’s offensive performance. His individual shot was an incredible bomb that traveled over 460 feet. Acuna is still suffering with a cool bat, as he went 1-for-5 from the plate on Friday.

Acuna’s year in Atlanta

Atlanta is gaining ground early in the season, despite Acuna’s troubles. The outfielder is batting.259 at the time of writing, with only three home runs this season. Acuna now has two hits in his previous four games, including this home run against the Mets. On the season, the Braves’ outfielder has 41 strikeouts and only 9 RBI. He has also been battling injuries.

The outfielder is unaccustomed to such troubles at the plate. Acuna is a lifetime.290 hitter who had a career high batting average in 2023. Last year, he hit.337 with 106 RBIs. That statistic was another career best for the slugger. He ended the 2023 season as the National League MVP. He has also been chosen an All-Star for the past three seasons in a row.

The good news for Acuna is that his bat appears to be improving again. He has two home runs in May, both coming in the last eight days for Atlanta. That is double the number of home runs he had in April. Acuna also had three multi-hit games to begin the month, including a three-hit outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 4. The number of strikeouts he has committed is decreasing, which is another positive indicator for the Braves. After striking out 31 times in April, Acuna has only six strikeouts in May as of writing.

Following their win over the Mets on Friday, the Braves improved to 23-12 on the season. It was their third consecutive triumph.

“We’re not even close to hitting on all cylinders yet,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told CBS Sports. Braves fans must be thrilled with the team’s performance despite Acuna’s struggles. Atlanta is certainly a more dangerous team when its outfielder is hitting the ball well.