Ronald Acuña Jr.: ‘It’s not a secret that I want to be a Brave for life’

NORTH PORT, Fla. — The question came to Ronald Acuña Jr., and without hesitation, he began to answer it. He did not appear even to think about it. He just responded.

Would Acuña want to spend his entire career in Atlanta?

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“It’s not a secret that I want to be a Brave for life,” Acuña said through interpreter Franco García. “That’s my hope. I hope I can stay here forever, and hopefully we can make that happen soon.”

Did you get that, Braves fans?

Has it set in yet?

Acuña – the reigning National League MVP and one of the better players in the sport – wants to spend his career in Atlanta. He does not want to go elsewhere.

“It would be great,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m sure that’s the hope of all the Braves fans and everybody in the organization. A rare talent like that, you’d love to see him in this uniform and see him retire and go into the Hall of Fame with that ‘A’ on his cap.”

Acuña is under contract through at least 2026. If the two club options are exercised, he will wear a Braves uniform through the 2028 season. Unless, of course, the Braves extend him first.

It might cost a lot. His current eight-year, $100 million deal is a bargain. Acuña could command the largest contract in Braves history – which currently is Austin Riley’s 10-year, $212 million extension – but that speculation is for another day.

For now, the news is this: Acuña, fresh off one of the finer seasons in MLB history, has reported to North Port for the encore. On Friday, he walked into the clubhouse and took questions from reporters. He apologized for not speaking after the Braves were eliminated in Philadelphia – which he didn’t need to do.

Soon, he walked on to the field at the main stadium and began stretching with his teammates. He mingled and laughed. Eventually, he took batting practice, surrounded by tons of cameras. He crushed a few home runs during his batting practice, and his swing looked as sweet as ever when he did so.

Coming off last season, the questions are: What is next for Acuña? Could he top his 2023 campaign? After all, 40-70 previously seemed unattainable – for anyone.

“I think anything is possible in this game,” Acuña said. “I think it’s just one of those things that if you put your mind to it and you believe in yourself, and you don’t put limits on yourself and what’s achievable, then anything can be achieved.”

On Thursday, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos – the man tasked with making sure Acuña never wears another uniform – said this of the star’s historic season: “I’m not surprised, I guess is the best way to put it. He’s that good. … Nothing I’m like, ‘Wow, I came out of nowhere, that was a surprise.’ He was very capable of that.”

Last month at the Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner, where Acuña formally accepted the MVP Award, he said he’s “just getting started with what I can do in this sport,” according to MLB.com. The thought of him improving is scary, but he’s only 26 years old.

Could it possibly get any better than 2023?

Warning to opponents: It might.

“I don’t know that anything he’s gonna do is surprising to me,” Snitker said. “I’ve said before, he’s gonna set records that probably he’s the only one that’s going to be able to outdo them, really. The scary part is he’s at an age where he’s gonna get better. He’s gonna figure things out, he’s gonna get better, learn to do it.”

Acuña, who never can get enough of this sport, played winter ball in Venezuela again. “It’s a league full of veteran players there, so just the environment and the adrenaline is different,” he said. The crowds can be rowdy and unforgiving. Acuña played for Tiburones de la Guaira, which won the Caribbean Series championship. (He wasn’t playing at that point, unfortunately.)

A theme with stars, like Acuña: They always search for ways to improve. He continued to develop in winter ball. And during the offseason, he also began to work on strengthening himself mentally to allow him to better handle difficult times.

“I think everyone, on and off the field, goes through hard times,” Acuña said. “And for me, it’s just sort of trying to prepare myself knowing that those moments are going to happen, that they’re gonna come. Just to be physically and mentally prepared for that to happen, and then to not have to necessarily focus so much on it when they do happen.”

There weren’t many tough moments for Acuña last year, but in the Division Series, he went 2-for-14 against the Phillies. “I played terribly,” he said Friday. “It’s not a secret.” He was far from the only one, and like everyone else, he’s now looking forward to this season and all it may bring.

Years ago in Jupiter, Florida, a young player darted into the right-field corner to make a play. Snitker was sitting next to Braves icon Terry Pendelton, who was a bench coach at the time.

“Who the hell was that, that made that throw?” Snitker asked Pendleton.

It was Acuña.

In the years since, he’s become one of baseball’s more exciting players, delivering one highlight after another. He is a must-watch talent.

And the best may be yet to come.

“The most important thing is health,” Acuña said. “I feel like as long as I’m healthy, I’ll be able to do some special things, hopefully, in this game.”

UPCOMING SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE

At North Port, Florida

Tuesday: Full squad first workout

Feb. 24: Braves first exhibition game, vs. Rays in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Feb. 25: Braves first spring training home exhibition game, vs. Red Sox (split squad)