The comeback arc for Ronald Acuña Jr. wasn’t just centered around hit bat, as good as it is. A major part of it was how he reminded everyone of the highlight reel the Atlanta Braves star can be in right field.
As the play resumed after the All-Star Game, Acuña took no time to wow the audience at Truist Park. When Cody Bellinger hit a towering fly ball to right field in the series opener of the Yankees series, Acuña caught it flat-footed over his head and still was able to get a laser throw off that nailed the advancing runner at third base.
UNBELIEVABLE THROW BY RONALD ACUÑA JR. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/SOfyIqo8KS
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 19, 2025
There was no bounce. It went right into the glove of Nacho Alvarez Jr., and he got the tag on. For many, it was one of the best plays they had ever seen. It had been declared a top play of the year immediately. It technically got that honor, but at a much lower spot than many could have anticipated.
MLB didn’t just leave it out of the top 10. It was left out of the top 50. The final ranking? 57. As far as this list is concerned there are 56 better plays this season.
Top Plays of 2025: No. 57
Ronald Acuña Jr. unleashes an unbelievable throw to double up the runner at third! pic.twitter.com/5E7IlsIFj5
— MLB (@MLB) November 25, 2025
The term “snub” might not be the correct word, but many were quick to say the play was way too low on the list. The replies make it known. Maybe the goal was to get that type of attention. Maybe they genuinly think it wasn’t all that. We’ll never know.
When a single play makes more headlines in real time than the outcome of the actual game, which the Braves won. You know it’s a play on another level. Most plays get wows in the moment, but you don’t think about it again. This one lingered in minds for a while after this.
Maybe it wasn’t the top play of the year. To some, it is. In the end, it’s all subjective. However, a reasonable spot would have been, at the very least, in the top 10.
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