Willie, Rickey and … Ronald? How Acuña could make history

The Braves proper fielder, totally operational once more practically two years after a horrific knee harm, is authoring the type of monster season that not solely wins you an MVP Award however etches your identify in historical past. We’ve solely not too long ago handed the quarter mark, however listed here are the classes wherein Acuña has a minimum of a share of the NL or MLB lead:

^Entering Saturday’s video games

“He’s the best player I’ve ever seen,” Braves pitcher Spencer Strider not too long ago stated of Acuña. “I don’t know what else there is to say [about his production]. Words can’t really do it justice. He’s the best player in the game right now and I’m just glad he’s on our team.”

Of all of the gaudy numbers above, the stolen bases stand out. Acuña is 4 forward of the Marlins’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. (now on the injured record) and the Pirates’ Ji Hwan Bae and has an opportunity to actually run away with the NL title. Thanks partially to the brand new guidelines and a wholesome knee, Acuña is at present on tempo for roughly 65 thefts, which might be essentially the most in a season since Juan Pierre swiped 68 luggage for the 2010 White Sox.

But whenever you mix all that with a bat that has been rocketing balls into the stratosphere all season, that’s whenever you actually get one thing particular. It’s extraordinarily uncommon for any participant to exhibit this type of power-speed combo, and which means Acuña has a golden alternative to perform some feats that valuable few in baseball historical past can match.

Leading in steals and OPS

Rickey. Willie. They are two of the enduring names in baseball historical past. Perhaps Ronald might at some point be part of them.

Here are the one two gamers to steer their league (AL or NL) in each stolen bases and OPS in the identical season, since integration (1947), per the Elias Sports Bureau:

^Note: Some sources, corresponding to Baseball Reference, present Mays shedding the 1957 NL OPS title to the Cardinals’ Stan Musial, 1.034 to 1.033, attributable to a difficulty with Mays’ stroll complete. Elias, which is MLB’s official statistician, has Mays at 1.034 as effectively.

Two different gamers managed to steer their league in that pair of stats because the begin of the Live Ball Era in 1920. But along with going down earlier than integration, each have notable caveats connected. Snuffy Stirnweiss of the 1945 Yankees performed in a league that had misplaced plenty of gamers to World War II navy service, together with three of the highest 10 AL OPS finishers from 1944. And Chuck Klein of the 1932 Phillies performed within the absurdly hitter-friendly environs of the Baker Bowl, the place he batted .423/.464/.799. (His NL-leading SB complete was additionally a mere 20).

So Henderson and Mays are the closest parallels to what Acuña is doing. And hey, whenever you’re within the unique firm of two inner-circle Hall of Famers — the all-time stolen base king and arguably the game’s biggest all-around participant — that’s at all times good.

It goes with out saying that many challenges await Acuña over the subsequent four-plus months. He’ll have to remain wholesome and keep away from extended slumps. But is there any specific motive to suppose he can’t be part of this record? After all, he already has one NL stolen base title to his credit score (37 in 2019), and solely the Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman (1.032) is inside 80 factors of him within the NL OPS race at current. Plus, nothing in his underlying numbers this 12 months suggests he’s overperforming.

Acuña’s precise vs. anticipated^ stats, 2023 (by means of Friday)

^Expected stats primarily based on high quality of contact, strikeouts and walks

Leading in steals and complete bases

When you’re batting practically .350 and hitting for energy, you’ll rack up loads of complete bases. Therefore, it’s no shock that Acuña is main with Majors with 107 of them.

So, how lengthy has it been since a participant completed first in that class, along with steals? Well … not lengthy in any respect, because it seems. Trea Turner did it simply two years in the past for the Nationals and Dodgers, when he paced the NL with 319 complete bases and 32 steals (the bottom AL- or NL-leading SB complete in a full season since 1962). Turner additionally received the batting title that 12 months (.328) and popped a career-high 28 homers.

But earlier than that, no person had managed that feat since integration, with Stirnweiss and Klein once more the one different Live Ball Era examples, per Elias. Once extra, Acuña might discover himself in uncommon air.

Leading in steals and residential runs

You possible already know that Acuña is in scorching pursuit of the primary 40-homer, 40-steal marketing campaign since Alfonso Soriano did it in 2006. He simply missed again in 2019 (41 homers, 37 steals), however this time the celebs simply would possibly align.

Not solely is Acuña on tempo for a 40-65 combo, however his energy swing is simply getting revved up. After going deep 3 times over his first 24 video games, he has completed it eight occasions in his previous 21 contests, together with a streak of 4 straight that ended Wednesday. Plus, these will not be wall-scrapers. Acuña’s eight “no-doubt” homers (judged by Statcast to have gone out in all 30 parks) ranks second in MLB to the Twins’ Joey Gallo, and his averages of 437 ft and 111.5 mph each rank first (minimal 5 HR).

Still, Acuña can have his work lower out for him on this specific chase. A dozen different NL hitters even have 10 or extra homers, and the Mets’ Pete Alonso (MLB-high 17) swats dingers with nice ease.

But what if Acuña might eke out a house run title whereas sustaining his lead in steals? Well, it might be extra uncommon than if he reaches 40-40. Nobody has completed it since Klein in 1932, and as famous, that got here with simply 20 steals and a homer title aided considerably by his house setting.

Before that, you need to go all the best way again to the Dead Ball Era, when Ty Cobb pulled it off in 1909 with out hitting a single ball over the fence. (All 9 of his homers had been of the inside-the-park selection).

In different phrases, not precisely akin to Acuña, whose early exploits in 2023 have put him on a path towards historical past.