Ronald Acuna Jr. Apologized to Brian Snitker, Braves Teammates for Jarred Kelenic Post

After questioning the handling of teammate Jarred Kelenic on social media, Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. apologized to manager Brian Snitker, Kelenic and the rest of his teammates for the moment of frustration.

According to Zach Klein of WSB2 Atlanta, Acuña said he asked for forgiveness and spoke to Snitker "man-to-man." He also said he apologized to his teammates and said he was frustrated with his injury rather than with his teammates.

In the sixth inning of a matchup against the Minnesota Twins in April, Kelenic hit what he believed was going to be a home run, and he hung around celebrating at home plate a bit too long. That led to him having to hustle to second base, where he was thrown out.

Despite the lapse in judgment from Kelenic, Snitker did not bench him, and that's what Acuña took issue with. He posted his frustration about the double standard on social media afterward. He later deleted the post.

Acuña has been in a similar position in the past. In 2019, he belted what looked like a home run and watched the ball travel into the outfield, leading to him recording a single on what could have been a hit for extra bases. He was benched afterward.

Acuña took the blame for that moment after the game and said he understood the decision to bench him.

"There's no excuse for it," he said. "I just kind of took it and said 'Of course.' He's the manager, I'm the player and I'll respect his decisions."

It's easy to see why Acuña was frustrated by Kelenic's mistake after what has been a rough stretch for him since winning the 2023 NL MVP. Acuña suffered a torn ACL after 49 games a season ago and hasn't returned from the injury yet. With their star still sidelined, the Braves have started the year 21-21.

The good news for Atlanta is that Acuña could be back on the field in the majors soon. He's making strides in his recovery and hit a home run in his first rehab assignment game for the Braves’ Florida Complex League team on Tuesday.

Acuña will begin playing for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.