As if the Atlanta Braves' season wasn't off to a rough enough start, there is now some eyebrow-raising drama unfolding after Saturday night's win against Minnesota. To set the stage, it is important to understand the full situation that unfolded with Jarred Kelenic.
One would think that if a hitter is struggling as badly as the outfielder is, there would be an expected level of hustle. However, when Kelenic hit a ball deep to left field on Saturday night, the outfielder stood and watched instead of hustling out of the box.
Making matters worse is the fact that Kelenic wouldn't be content taking the long single but overcompensating by attempting to make it to second. The outfielder was thrown out by a mile, and it was a glaring example of poor hustle.
This is the type of decision we've seen Brian Snitker punish his players for more than once. Most notably, pulling star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. when the desired hustle wasn't there.
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 20, 2025
Acuña acknowledged the situation, noting if the star were in the place of Kelenic, he would be benched. The post has since been deleted, unsurprisingly stirring up a lot of angst among the fanbase and grabbing national attention.
Let's be clear here, Ronald Acuña Jr. is one hundred percent in the right. One of the few flaws manager Brian Snitker has shown is not being completely consistent with how he handles punishment. If you're going to bench your franchise star for not hustling after he believes he has hit a homer, you must exercise this same level of judgment with an outfielder who is badly hurting your chances of winning.
With that said, Acuña expressing this sentiment in such a public way is questionable from the perspective of a teammate. Kelenic made an awful decision and deserves to be held accountable. If Acuña has a problem with the way Atlanta handled the situation, the matter could be handled privately. Just because you're right doesn't always mean it is the correct thing to say.
Timing is everything, and it seems fitting just as the Braves are turning the corner, a new wave of drama is being brought to attention. Acuña deleting the post signals the outfielder realizes this and has thought better of the comment.
Still, the point remains, and it is a clear concern when your manager has been so tough on your star and doesn't offer the same rules for lesser players. It is a backwards way of thinking that doesn't enforce what is supposed to be the standard. If Snitker benches Kelenic after the awful mistake, there is no story.