Ad Disclosure
The Phillies Shouldn’t Bean Ronald Acuña; They Should Beat Him
By Tim Reilly
Published:
Last weekend, Ronald Acuña staked his claim for the prized role of Public Enemy Number One in Philadelphia. In a pivotal four-game series between Acuña’s Atlanta Braves and the Phillies, and with control of the National League East hanging in the balance, the Braves’ star outfielder stole the show.
Until Jesús Luzardo’s Monday masterpiece, the Phillies struggled to quiet Acuña at the plate. He went 7-12 in the first three games of the set; two of those hits were home runs, including a back-breaking three-run blast that erased a 4-1 Phillies lead in the eighth inning:
It’s fair to say that Acuña’s performance swung the series. Without his heroics, the Phillies likely would have shaved their four-game divisional deficit in half and placed themselves in prime position to catch the Braves as soon as this weekend. Instead, the Phillies head to Atlanta for their final regular-season series with their rivals staring at the same seemingly insurmountable gap.
But it wasn’t simply Acuña’s dominance that aggravated the Phillies and their fans. It was the way he relished the moments he created: extending his arms like a bird in flight as he rounded second base during his home run trots; drinking in the boos from the locals and egging them on further with an unsolicited curtain call; and generally enjoying the misery he produced.
It was an act fit for a WWE heel, and professional wrestlers would admire the artistry. In baseball, however, such behavior catches the attention of the greybeards, the self-appointed keepers of the “unwritten rules” deemed so important that no one ever bothered to record them. For the infraction of enjoying oneself too much, their code demands immediate retribution, delivered in the form of a fastball to the ribs.
Even the old-timers acknowledge the sport has changed, and the original methods of policing showboating are discouraged. At the first sign of vigilantism, the umpires will issue warnings and ejections. Pitchers have even been tossed after throwing sliders that failed to break because the timing was deemed suspect by the heavy-handed crews charged with policing baseball.
For better or worse, the theatrics are part of the game now. Insane bat flips, choreographed celebrations, and props are all featured parts of the home run. Pitchers aren’t immune to gloating after recording a big (or even routine) out. The outsized displays of personality make for a more compelling product in an era when the competition for eyeballs is more intense than ever, so don’t expect them to go anywhere.
What, then, is the recourse for a team like the Phillies? If they don’t like the way Ronald Acuña is acting, how do you send a message? How do you stop him?
It’s simple, really. If you don’t want Acuña flapping his wings as he runs the bases after another crushing home run, don’t give him a chance to fly. Get him out. And then get him out again.
Execute the plan you’ve developed to attack his weaknesses. Maybe, after you’ve thrown him six fastballs in a row, consider revising the strategy before calling for a seventh that he can deposit into the bleachers. Just a thought.
Old-school justice simply is not an option. The Phillies can’t risk losing a pitcher to suspension for the stretch run as they try to secure a postseason berth in what may be their last, best chance to win a World Series with this core.
Instead, the Phillies can try resorting to old-school baseball. The sound, fundamental style the club played through August would give them the opportunity to shut down their antagonist Acuña, place some heat on Atlanta at the end of September, and roll into the playoffs playing like a team that can actually compete with the Braves, Brewers, and Dodgers.
Stop chasing pitches outside the strike zone. Don’t run into outs on the bases. Figure out the best sunglasses to wear in the field and actually wear them.
Stop telling the media and the fans that the same dumb things you keep doing aren’t acceptable. Of course they’re acceptable. You keep doing them! Edmundo Sosa has been pimping every ball he hits in the air all season, no matter if it’s a lazy flyout or finds its way over the fence. His sluggishness finally cost the Phillies on Tuesday night, and now he promises it won’t happen again. I have a feeling it might.
Stop talking, and start showing. Show the fans this isn’t the same Phillies team that fell short in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Show us you can excel in the fundamentals. Show us you can work a great at-bat against a tough pitcher. Show us you can get the timely hit. Show us you can run the bases aggressively and smartly. Show us you can manufacture enough offense to support this stellar staff of starting pitchers.
Show us, and the Phillies won’t need to worry about being shown up by Ronald Acuña or anyone else.
Tim Reilly is a freelance writer from Northeast Philadelphia. He can be reached at reillyt7@gmail.com.