Video: Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. Becomes 5th Player in MLB History to Join 40-40 Club

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. has added a whole new level to baseball's exclusive 40-40 club.

During the Braves' Friday night contest against the Washington Nationals, Acuña smashed his 40th home run of the season over the wall at Nationals Park. He is the fifth MLB player in history to record at least 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season.

Acuña has stolen 68 bases in 2023. That leaves him two steals away from becoming the first-ever member of the 40-70 club, The Athletic's David O'Brien pointed out.

Acuña is the first player to hit the 40-40 mark since Alfonso Soriano in 2006, according to the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes. Soriano, a former Nationals player, achieved the feat on a steal in the same park.

Acuña enters the 40-40 club in good company.

The milestone was first hit by Jose Canseco, who made history during his AL MVP campaign for the Oakland Athletics in 1988.

Barry Bonds joined with the San Francisco Giants in 1996, while the Seattle Mariners' Alex Rodriguez made it in 1998. Soriano was the last member to slide into the club in 2006 until Acuña, 17 years later, added his name to the list.

Acuña is the first club member since A-Rod to steal 40 bases prior to hitting his 40th homer, per Baseball Almanac.

He still has the chance to beat out Soriano, who hit 46 balls over the fence in 2006, for the most home runs in 40-40 history.

Acuña joins the club in the midst of the best season of his career.

His NL-best 141 runs, 208 hits and .415 on-base percentage have been keys to the Braves' 98-55 record.

If that performance is enough to win him the title of NL MVP, Acuña will be the first club member to achieve the honor in his 40-40 season since Canseco, per Baseball Almanac.

It took eight years for Bonds to hit the 40-40 mark after Canseco set the standard. It could take even longer for another MLB player to join Acuña in the newly established 40-50 and 40-60 clubs.