Ronald Acuna Jr. Drops Furious Warning After Francisco Lindor’s Seemingly Disrespectful Act

Of course, Acuna and Francisco Lindor might amuse fans in El Béisbol Es Otra Cosa, which is set to take place in September. However, during a recent game between the New York Mets and their division rivals—Atlanta Braves, Lindor’s eyes-closed defensive theatrics made Ronald Acuna Jr. a bit furious.

It was Game 2 at Truist Park, and the scene unfolded in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Mets were leading 3-2. Clay Holmes threw a sweeper of 82.3 mph, and Ronald Acuna Jr. unleashed a line drive, which was caught with his eyes shut by Lindor. It was supposed to be a routine play, but what followed next caught everyone’s attention—especially for the La Bestia.

Talkin’ Baseball perfectly captured the moment and posted it on their Instagram account. In that video, Lindor wasn’t content with just making the catch—he had to put on a show. After getting the out, the Mets shortstop turned to the Braves dugout with a big smile, slowly replicated his catch with his eyes closed for emphasis, and then laughed. Fans loved it, but Ronald Acuna Jr? Not really. The Venezuelan superstar, who had been walking back to the dugout, stopped in his tracks, gave Lindor a stare, and pointed a finger, which looked like a warning. And from that moment, the game changed.

The Mets took advantage of the momentum and blew the game open. In a 9–2 blowout win, NYM hit six home runs. Mark Vientos and Jeff McNeil each hit two, and Pete Alonso and Starling Marte each hit one. The seventh inning was where the damage happened: three more homers turned a close game into a statement. Clay Holmes pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and gave up only two runs before Atlanta’s hopes were dashed. The Mets played amazingly well in the previous game too, which they won by 12-7.

Meanwhile, the Braves didn’t stand a chance in either game. Ronald Acuna Jr.’s single home run in Game 1 started a short rally, but the Braves eventually lost. And Game 2 was even worse: only two hits and a pitching staff that couldn’t keep serve.

The Braves’ pitchers gave up 21 runs in two games, and their offense struggled when it mattered. With the Mets scoring nine runs on Saturday, the Braves were left seeking answers after their rivals’ unexpected offensive surge. And it looks like things are getting worse for the Braves with their 3B getting into season-ending IL.

Season Ends, Hopes Dim: Austin Riley Undergoes Core Surgery

The Braves were already having a tough season, currently sitting at fourth in the table with a record of 58-71, and they were hit with another setback. Riley went on the IL for the first time on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He was put back on the list on August 4 after hurting it again while diving at the plate and now he’s undergone surgery. Riley will be out for the rest of the regular season.

This latest setback comes at a terrible time for the Braves with several players already on the injury list. Also, Riley’s steady play at third base has been a big part of their offense, and losing him throws everything off.  Riley was putting up decent numbers with a .260 batting average, 16 home runs, and 54 RBIs in 102 games, along with a .309 on-base percentage and a .428 slugging percentage.

To cover the gap, Atlanta picked up veteran right-hander Cal Quantrill off waivers from Miami and moved up Jake Fraley and Dylan Dodd up from the minors. In the meantime, infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. is serving at third base while Riley is out.

With their backs against the wall, the Braves will need some great quality at-bats, and that also includes hitting from Ronald Acuna Jr. Game 3 is the perfect chance for Acuna to let his bat speak. Can he shake off Lindor’s theatrics and show everyone why he’s Atlanta’s $100 million superstar?