The Atlanta Braves earned widespread acclaim for their extraordinary offensive display in the previous season, achieving notable milestones such as tying the single-season home run record with an impressive 307 longballs. Their performance included boasting the highest team slugging percentage in baseball history at .501 and becoming the first team to hit 300 or more homers while stealing 100 or more bases (132) in a single season.
A pivotal figure in this offensive prowess was Ronald Acuña Jr, who secured the 2023 National League MVP award with a remarkable season that featured an astounding 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. Notably, his stolen base count shattered the previous record for steals in a 40/40 season, which stood at 46.
As the Braves embark on the 2024 season, the prospect of Acuña replicating or even surpassing his extraordinary numbers from the previous season raises the possibility of witnessing another historic performance. Acuña’s Steamer projections from FanGraphs for the upcoming season are nothing short of remarkable: .318/.405/.578 with 38 home runs, 56 stolen bases, 135 runs, and 100 RBIs, resulting in an impressive 7.4 WAR.
These projections prompted MLB researcher Sarah Langs to delve into the rarity of a 30-50 season, a feat achieved only three times in baseball history by Eric Davis in 1987, Barry Bonds in 1990, and Acuña himself in the previous season. Should Acuña accomplish this remarkable feat again, he would become the first player with multiple 30-50 seasons in baseball history and the first player with three 30-30 seasons by the age of 26.
Moreover, surpassing 40 home runs is within Acuña’s reach, considering his previous achievements. If he achieves this milestone, it would mark the first time any player has had more than one 40/40 season in baseball history. In 2019, Acuña came tantalizingly close to this milestone with 41 homers and 37 steals under the old rules, earning him a 5th-place finish in the MVP voting, an All-Star berth, and a Silver Slugger award.
Securing back-to-back MVP awards is a rare accomplishment, having occurred only 13 times since the award’s inception in 1931, with the most recent instance achieved by Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and 2013. If Acuña delivers another 40/40 season in 2024, it would position him as a formidable contender for the MVP award, making it challenging for any other player to present a compelling case for the coveted accolade.
