Strider, Acuña kind a profitable tandem for Braves

PHOENIX — Dwight Gooden had Darryl Strawberry. Shohei Ohtani presently has each himself and Mike Trout.

Strider and Acuña each placed on a present because the Braves acquired again on observe with a 5-2 win over the D-backs on Saturday night time at Chase Field. The former restricted one in all baseball’s hottest groups to a few hits and the latter once more amazed with each his energy and pace.

“There’s a lot of special talent coming out of [Strider’s] right arm, and then you get to see Ronnie every day,” Braves reliever Jesse Chavez stated. “You can’t ask for a better seat in the house than to be able to be next to that every day.”

These previous few weeks have been subpar for the Braves, who entered this recreation with the National League’s second-worst report (8-13) going again to May 10. But with Acuña sparking a slumbering offense and Strider subduing a robust lineup, the Braves snapped the D-backs’ six-game profitable streak.

Acuña strengthened his MVP credentials by including to his stolen-base complete on the expense of one other unsuspecting third baseman. He additionally added to his MLB-leading listing of homers 460 toes or longer. The contributions backed Strider, who continues to show he’s greater than a strikeout artist, permitting simply three hits and two runs over six innings. His seven strikeouts matched a season low.

Strider’s effort got here 4 days after the one-year anniversary of his first profession begin, which got here on this identical precise mound. He has posted a 2.85 ERA within the 32 begins he has made going again to May 30, 2022, when he started changing into one in all baseball’s most fun pitchers.

“I’m just happy we’re on the same team and I don’t have to face him,” Acuña stated by way of an interpreter.

Strider feels the identical method about Acuña, who once more managed to dazzle with each his pace, energy and instincts inside a nine-inning stretch. His third-inning stolen base that led to the sport’s first run conjured reminiscences of him going first to 3rd on a stroll in opposition to the Dodgers on May 23.

With that steal, he acknowledged Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy wasn’t paying consideration. This newest shock steal took benefit of D-backs third baseman Josh Rojas being positioned away from the bag with left-handed slugger Matt Olson batting. Acuña sprinted towards third understanding that even when pitcher Ryne Nelson threw to 3rd base, he might beat Rojas to the bag.

“I’m always visualizing plays before they happen, and I’m just trying to analyze and assess what’s going on,” Acuña stated. “I noticed they were really close to me. I thought with my speed, I could take advantage of the situation.”

After utilizing his toes to generate the sport’s first run within the third, Acuña brought on some jaws to drop within the sixth inning when he hit a two-run blast that traveled a projected 464 toes, his second-longest homer of the season.

“It’s like I always say, ‘You better not go get a beer or anything when he’s coming to bat, because you might miss something special,’” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated.

Acuña now has three homers of 460-plus toes this yr; no different participant entered Saturday with a couple of. It was additionally his fifth homer of 450-plus toes, and his teammate Austin Riley was the one different participant who entered Saturday with no less than three.

“When he’s clicking, he’s a five-tool player and it’s hard to stop him,” Strider stated. “He can beat you every way. He’s a real asset.”

With 12 homers and 24 steals, Acuña is on tempo for 33 homers and 67 stolen bases. He’s aiming for the 40-40 season he fell three steals shy of in 2019. But he’s already on tempo for what could be the sport’s first 30-60 season.

Strider already turned the quickest beginning pitcher to 100 strikeouts, doing so on the 61-inning mark throughout final weekend’s begin in opposition to the Phillies. The 10 double-digit strikeout video games he’s tallied by way of 32 profession begins leads the NL in that span and ranks second amongst all MLB pitchers, trailing solely Ohtani’s 11.

Going again to his first profession begin, Strider entered Saturday main all MLB pitchers (min. 170 innings) with a 6.3 fWAR. Like Acuña, he has turn into a type of gamers who’s must-see each time on the baseball diamond.

“He’s not sneaking up on anyone anymore,” Snitker stated. “I’m sure teams are looking at our rotation when we come to town to see if he is in there.”