Former MVP Suggests Manager Holds Him to a Double Standard
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Jarred Kelenic thought he had a home run Saturday night against the Minnesota Twins. When his soaring fly ball clanged off the right-field wall at Truist Park, the Atlanta Braves outfielder was caught flat-footed.
Kelenic was so slow getting out of the batter’s box watching the baseball, the Twins were able to throw him out at second base. After initially being ruled safe, the Twins challenged the call and were credited with the out on a diving tag by shortstop Carlos Correa. Kelenic was credited with a single.
Jarred Kelenic with the homer to RF! Oops, I mean single.
Home to 1B- 7.49 seconds
1B to 2B- 3.30 secondsHe’s out after replay challenge. pic.twitter.com/l67cFCbBoR
— The WARmonger (@TheWARmonger_) April 20, 2025
Kelenic’s lack of hustle prompted justified anger from fans. Mark Bowman of MLB.com responded on Twitter/X to a comment from one fan who asked if Braves manager Brian Snitker commented on Kelenic’s miscue.
“He protected Kelenic by replying ‘Was I supposed to’ when asked if he had said anything to Kelenic,” Bowman wrote. “He certainly could have said something, seeing how Kelenic’s home run trot put him on the dugout side of the first base coach’s box when the ball hit the wall.”
He protected Kelenic by replying “Was I supposed to” when asked if he had said anything to Kelenic. He certainly could have said something, seeing how Kelenic’s home run trot put him on the dugout side of the first base coach’s box when the ball hit the wall. https://t.co/z49jv2pr6a
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 20, 2025
Bowman’s post prompted an unprompted reply from a surprising source: Ronald Acuña Jr.
The 2023 National League MVP wrote, “If it were me, they would take me out of the game.”
If it were me, they would take me out of the game
— Ronald Acuña Jr. (@ronaldacunajr24) April 20, 2025
Acuña, 27, apparently has been slow to forget a similar sequence in 2019. Snitker removed him from a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he did not hustle out of the batter’s box on a deep fly ball. The ball bounced off the right-field wall for a long single.
Snitker not only spoke with Acuña — he replaced his young star with veteran Adam Duvall.
Lo fundamental para distinguirse en un campo no es el talento, es la disciplina.
He sido testigo con colegas que tienen grandes dones, pero su propia arrogancia por su talento natural los ciega.
Lo mismo puede pasarle a Ronald Acuña Jr. en Grandes Ligas
pic.twitter.com/8zs0ghOqtp— Arnaldo Espinoza (@Naldoxx) August 18, 2019
Acuña has not played this season while he recovers from the knee injury that ended his 2024 season.
More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.
Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images
