The Atlanta Braves’ superstar right fielder made what could be the throw of the year—again—during Friday night’s 7-3 win over the Yankees. If you haven’t seen the highlight yet, stop what you’re doing and watch it. Then watch it again. This isn’t just a great play—it’s pure baseball magic.
A Deceptive Setup, a Devastating Throw
Third inning. One out. Runners on second and third. Cody Bellinger lifts a routine fly ball toward the right-field corner. Acuña drifts over to make the catch—calmly, casually, almost bored. Vivas, seeing an opportunity, tags up and heads for third. Bad move.
Without a crow-hop or even a step toward the infield, Acuña uncorked a no-hop laser straight to third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. It wasn’t just accurate—it was perfect. Vivas, clearly caught off guard, didn’t even slide. The tag was applied. Inning over.
Braves manager Brian Snitker didn’t hold back, calling it “a Roberto Clemente throw.” High praise, and well deserved.
Strider Was Just as Shocked as the Yankees
Even Spencer Strider—the guy on the mound—was fooled.
“I thought it was foul and out of play,” he said after the game. “I was asking the ump for another ball. It’s a good thing the ball didn’t get away at third because I would’ve been nowhere near where I needed to be.”
Strider called it a “great deke,” and he’s not wrong. Acuña’s body language sold everyone—including the Yankees and his own teammates—on the idea that nothing special was coming. Then he delivered one of the most unforgettable throws in recent memory.
Acuña Does It All—Again
The throw will be what we all remember, but Acuña’s night was bigger than one play. He doubled during Atlanta’s three-run first, tripled in the fourth, and scored twice. This came just three days after he started in right field for the National League at the All-Star Game in Atlanta—a moment he called emotional and motivating.
After the game, Acuña said, “We’re going to go out there with a purpose. We’re going to go out there, give our best effort, and put on a show for them.” Mission accomplished.
A Glimmer of Hope in a Rocky Season
At 43-53, the Braves still sit 10 games under .500 with 66 left to play. Their playoff hopes are dim, their rotation is battered, and they’re reportedly weighing trade options for Marcell Ozuna. Snitker has already started flipping Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin between catcher and DH.
But Friday felt like a spark. Ozzie Albies, who entered the break with the sixth-worst OPS in baseball, crushed a three-run homer in the same inning Acuña fired off his jaw-dropper. Strider tossed six shutout innings, continuing his steady post-surgery return with a 2.53 ERA over his last seven starts.
