Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. has accused manager Brian Snitker of a double standard when it comes to players not hustling while running the bases. Acuña’s teammate, Jarred Kelenic, was benched after failing to run hard on an extra-base hit against the Minnesota Twins.
In a surprising move, Snitker claimed he didn’t say anything to Kelenic about his lack of effort, despite initially stating that players must hustle or be out. This came after Acuña Jr. took issue with Snitker’s comments from 2019 when he benched him for watching a fly ball and not running.
Snitker previously benched Ender Inciarte in 2018 and Marcell Ozuna in 2023 for similar infractions, but argued that each situation was different. Acuña Jr., who is currently injured, believes Snitker’s actions demonstrate a double standard.
The Braves manager admitted to speaking with Kelenic after seeing video of the play, but claimed Kelenic initiated the conversation. The team is struggling this season, currently last in the NL East and 6.5 games behind the division-leading New York Mets. With their star player Acuña Jr. nearing his return from injury, Snitker will need to address these issues to get his team back on track.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/ronald-acuna-jr-calls-out-braves-manager-brian-snitker-for-double-standard-in-deleted-social-media-post-184605724.html