Last month, Ronald Acua Jr. became the first player in MLB history to reach 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases. The 40-60 club was subsequently founded by him last week.
You probably already know where this is going.
In the 10th inning against the Chicago Cubs, the Atlanta Braves star stole his 70th base of the year to become the first player in MLB history to have a 40-70 season.
Acuña got on base by scoring the extra-innings runner with an opposite-field single to tie the game. On the ensuing pitch, he stole the bag, and while Braves fans gave him, he lifted second base above his head as a sign of celebration:
The Cubs, who are currently battling for their playoff lives and are now tied with the Miami Marlins for the third NL wild-card slot, were in a difficult situation when the moment occurred. After blowing leads in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings, one day after Seiya Suzuki’s game-costing gaffe, the squad was only itself to blame.
Acuña got on base by scoring the extra-innings runner with an opposite-field single to tie the game. On the ensuing pitch, he stole the bag, and while Braves fans gave him, he lifted second base above his head as a sign of celebration:
The Cubs, who are currently battling for their playoff lives and are now tied with the Miami Marlins for the third NL wild-card slot, were in a difficult situation when the moment occurred. After blowing leads in the bottom of the eighth and ninth innings, one day after Seiya Suzuki’s game-costing gaffe, the squad was only itself to blame.
None of the other players to have a 40-40 season, including Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), and Alfonso Soriano (2006), reached even 50 bases, much less 70.
All that is left for Acua to do is to compete for his first career World Series appearance now that the top seed and, most likely, the MVP are assured. The winner of the wild-card series between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds, presently the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks, will face the Braves in the opening game of the NLDS.