Braves proper fielder and NL MVP frontrunner Ronald Acuña Jr. assists in keeping making historical past in his for-the-ages 2023 season. On Saturday evening in opposition to the Nationals, he stole his 73rd base, a franchise document:
The modern day document can be post-1900, as King Kelly swiped 84 bases in 1887 and Billy Hamilton (no, no longer that one, clearly) stole 83 in 1896. The modern day, single-season Braves’ stolen bases leaderboard:
1. Acuña, 2023: 73 stolen bases
2. Otis Nixon, 1991: 72
3. Hap Myers, 1913: 57
4. Nixon, 1993: 47
5. Rafael Furcal, 2005: 46
Also, Braves beginning pitcher Spencer Strider joined in at the a laugh.
He goes to steer the majors in strikeouts this season via a wholesome margin. He’s additionally made Braves historical past. With his 3rd strikeout of the sport Saturday evening, he moved forward of John Smoltz at the all-time Braves single-season leaderboard with 277. He ended up placing out seven on Saturday to present him just a little cushion.
The best 5:
1. Strider, 2023: 281 strikeouts
2. Smoltz, 1996: 276
3. Phil Niekro, 1977: 262
4. Niekro, 1978: 248
5. Smoltz, 1997: 241
Having any Braves pitching document is reasonably a feather within the cap of stated pitcher. This is a storied franchise in terms of pitching. From Warren Spahn to Phil Niekro to Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz to the present workforce with Strider and Max Fried, they have got lengthy been identified for stellar pitching.
The caveat here’s that any person may say technically the document belongs to Charlie Buffinton, who struck out 417 in his 587(!) innings of labor in 1884 for the Boston ballclub that may ultimately be referred to as the Braves. Still, it wasn’t the Braves but, however, most significantly, the pitching distance used to be best 55 ft, six inches. It used to be moved again to the present 60 ft, six inches in 1893 and I’m relaxed being worried best about pitching stats that took place after that. The Braves and Major League Baseball seem to agree, as each said Strider has set a Braves document.
Strider, 24, is completing his 2nd complete season within the majors and merits numerous credit for serving to to carry this Braves’ rotation in combination in 2023 thru a excellent quantity of harm and inconsistency. He’ll end within the best 5 of NL Cy Young balloting and perhaps even the highest 3.
Padres starter Blake Snell is more likely to win the NL Cy Young and he is 2nd within the NL this season in strikeouts. Remember, Strider has 277. Snell has 234 going to his scheduled get started on Sunday. The AL chief is Kevin Gausman with 237.
As for Acuña, he entered Saturday hitting .336/.414/.595, excellent for 167 OPS+ and eight.3 WAR. He leads the majors in hits, runs, stolen bases, on-base share and overall bases.