While Atlanta Braves stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Marcell Ozuna bring a little extra flavor to their home run trots, it is not sitting well with everyone around Major League Baseball, Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson included.
Thomson made a remark before the Phillies took on the Braves Wednesday night. He weighed in on Acuña flapping his arms as he came around the bases after a home run off of Zack Wheeler.
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Rob Thomson, #59 of the Philadelphia Phillies, walks in the dugout before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Aug. 18, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
“I like our guys to act like they’ve been there before,” Thomson told WIP in Philadelphia.
The manager later clarified he just has an old-school mentality when it comes to the game.
“That was nothing to do with the Atlanta Braves and what Ronald does, or Ozuna,” Thomson said. “They can do what they want. I can’t control that. I just mentioned that I preferred people act like they’d been there. I wasn’t trying to start a controversy or anything like that.”
Thomson added that players getting hit in the ribs with a ball as retaliation is also over and done with for the most part.
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. reacts after hitting a two-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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“It’s a different game now,” he said. “I think most players, like myself, respect the other players so much that they understand they can ruin someone’s career.”
The Braves later defeated the Phillies 4-1 behind Spencer Strider and Austin Riley. The Braves clinched their sixth straight National League East title.
The Phillies are still in the race for a National League Wild Card spot. They are in a good spot at 79-67. They are up 3.5 games on the Chicago Cubs for the first spot.
Atlanta Braves’ Marcell Ozuna reacts after hitting a three-run home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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The Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins are in the tightly packed race. The Reds and Diamondbacks are tied for the third spot while the Giants and Marlins are a half-game behind them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.