ATLANTA BRAVES GAMEDAY the Recognition for Acuña Jr
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2021 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 1 APRIL PHI PHI MAY TOR 3:05 PM 4:05 PM 7:37 PM 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 PHI WSH WSH WSH PHI PHI TOR WSH WSH WSH PHI PHI 1:05 PM 4:05 PM 4:05 PM 4:05 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 1:07 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 4:05 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 PHI MIA MIA MIA MIA CHC CHC PHI TOR TOR TOR MIL MIL 7:08 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 12:20 PM 2:20 PM 2:20 PM 7:08 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 12:20 PM 8:10 PM 7:10 PM 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 CHC NYY NYY ARI ARI MIL NYM NYM NYM PIT PIT PIT 7:08 PM 6:35 PM 6:35 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 2:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 4:10 PM 25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 PIT 1:20 PM ARI CHC CHC CHC CHC TOR 30 31 BOS BOS NYM NYM 1:20 PM 7:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:37 PM NYM 7:08 PM WSH 5:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:15 PM SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 JUNE WSH WSH WSH LAD LAD JULY NYM MIA MIA 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 12:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:15 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 4:10 PM 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 LAD PHI PHI PHI MIA MIA MIA PIT PIT PIT MIA MIA 1:20 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 1:05 PM 7:10 PM 4:10 PM 1:20 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 12:35 PM 7:10 PM 4:10 PM 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 MLB MIA BOS BOS STL STL STL MIA ALL-STAR TB TB 1:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:15 PM 1:10 PM GAME 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STL NYM NYM NYM CIN CIN CIN TB SD SD SD PHI PHI PHI 7:08 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 4:10 PM 1:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 12:20 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 6:05 PM 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 CIN NYM NYM PHI NYM NYM NYM NYM MIL MIL 1:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 1:05 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 12:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 MIL STL STL STL WSH WSH SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER LAD COL COL COL 1:20 PM 8:15 PM 8:15 PM 8:15 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 10:10 PM 8:40 PM 8:40 PM 8:10 PM 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WSH CIN CIN CIN WSH WSH COL WSH WSH WSH MIA MIA 1:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 5:10 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 3:10 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 WSH MIA MIA MIA BAL BAL MIA COL COL COL SF SF 1:05 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:10 PM 7:05 PM 7:05 PM 1:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 12:20 PM 9:45 PM 9:05 PM 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 BAL NYY NYY SF SF SF ARI ARI ARI ARI SD SD 1:05 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 4:05 PM 9:40 PM 9:40 PM 9:40 PM 9:40 PM 10:10 PM 8:40 PM 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 SD 4:10 PM SF LAD LAD AUGUST 3 PHI PHI PHI NYM NYM 1:20 PM 10:10 PM 10:10 PM NYM 3:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM 7:20 PM HOME AWAY WATCH ON LISTEN ON GAME DATES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. VISIT BRAVES.COM/SCHEDULE FOR UPDATES. BB&T and SunTrust are now Truist Truist.com Truist Bank, Member FDIC. © 2021 Truist Financial Corporation. Truist, BB&T, SunTrust, the Truist logo and Truist Purple are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation. C M Y CM MY CY MLB CMY K Baseball Fans Spoke: ACUÑA JR., FREEMAN ALL-STARS AGAIN BY MATT GRILLI After four days off, the Braves return to the Acuña Jr. and Freeman also represented the field, hoping to construct a memorable finish Braves in the NL’s starting lineup in 2019, at to the season. While a four-day break may Cleveland’s Progressive Field, and became the seem insignificant to most, for a game cen- first duo to start consecutive All-Star Games tered on its incessant nature, the All-Star break for the Braves since catcher Joe Torre and Hank may as well feel like a fourth-month vacation Aaron did so in 1966 and 1967, the first two sea- for the players that grind through a 162-game sons of the franchise’s existence in Atlanta. schedule in less than 180 calendar days. As For Acuña Jr., it marked his second career most players enjoyed some well-deserved honor, putting him with four Braves icons in down time, others enjoyed a different luxury. making multiple All-Star teams by their age Theheartbeats of the Braves, Ronald Acuña 23 season. Hammerin’ Hank made three of Jr. and reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman, his record 25 by this age, while Torre, Hall represented Atlanta as starters in the 91st of Fame third baseman Eddie Mathews and annual Midsummer Classic at Coors Field in catcher Brian McCann each also made two. Denver. Acuña Jr. and Freeman were elected starters through a two-phase, month-long online voting process conducted by baseball fans across the world. With a representative of each team at each position on the initial ballot, the top three vote-getters at each position, and top nine for the outfielders, advanced as finalists. When Phase 1 concluded, the Braves’ exuberant 23-year-old outfielder received over 2.5 mil- lion votes, more than any other NL player. Acuña Jr held his position through the final phase, while Freeman used a late surge to fin- ish atop the first basemen. 6 ATLANTA BRAVES GAMEDAY The recognition for Acuña Jr. was the cul- mination of one of the best first halves of any player in baseball. While Braves fans don’t need to see daily statistical leaderboards to know the value Acuña Jr. provides his team, when putting his accomplishments in a historical perspective, they become even more eye-popping. TheVenezuela native posted a ludicrous .341/.443/.705 batting line with 25 runs scored in 24 games in April. The last Braves player to hit for that high of an average and score at least that many runs in a calendar month was none other than Gary Sheffield in August 2003. The nine-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger winner went on to finish third in the NL MVP balloting that season, behind Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols. Acuña Jr. would later reach milestone totals in runs scored (300), hits (400), stolen bases (75) and home runs (100), with the latter two arguably the most impressive given the unique combination of power and speed. How unique is it – especially for a player his age? Only four other players in modern baseball history, hit 100 While his teammate may not have posted home runs and stole 75 bases before turning 24, his typical numbers, especially those that won and those four are four of the greatest players him the MVP last season, Freeman’s tangible in the sport’s history – Ken Griffey Jr., Andruw value has been established from his sustained Jones, Alex Rodriguez and Mike Trout. excellence. The five-time All-Star, the Braves’ Opening Day first baseman for each of the past 11 seasons, hit his 250th home run, scored his 900th run and registered his 900th RBI during the season’s first half. Only five other players in the franchise’s 150-year history have accomplished that: three are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame – Aaron, Chipper Jones and Eddie Mathews – while the other two – Andruw Jones and Dale Murphy – are two of the most beloved Braves of all-time.