Ronald Acuna Jr. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. achieves remarkable MLB first

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 6/16/23

Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. is an early front-runner for National League MVP. On Friday, he continued to prove why, accomplishing an incredible MLB first against the Colorado Rockies.

Following a first-inning walk, Acuna snatched stolen base No. 30 on the year, becoming the first player in MLB history to record 15-plus home runs and 30-plus stolen bases over the first 70 games of a season.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is the 1st player in MLB history with 15 HR and 30 SB in the first 70 games of a season. pic.twitter.com/YBA4MRcbWh
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 17, 2023

The 25-year-old outfielder is on track to post a season never before seen in baseball. At Acuna's current pace, he would shatter his previous career highs by the end of the campaign while becoming MLB's first 30-home run/60-stolen base player. In 49 fewer games, Acuna has already matched or surpassed last year's totals in home runs (15) and stolen bases (29). Meanwhile, Acuna is now only seven steals away from equaling his career high (37), set across 156 games during the 2019 campaign.

Putting Acuna's production thus far into perspective, only Eric Davis (1987) and Barry Bonds (1990) have posted a 30-50 season.

Entering play Friday, Acuna led the NL in hits (92) and steals (29) while trailing only Luis Arraez (.378) with a .331 batting average.

As the baseball season inches closer to the All-Star break, Acuna and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman have separated themselves from the pack of NL MVP contenders. According to Oddschecker, Acuna is the favorite for the award, followed by Freeman (+600).

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