Braves MVP candidates won’t be leading base

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres tags out Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 after Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves grounds into a double play during the first inning of a game at PETCO Park on April 19, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley are viable MVP candidates for the Braves, but their base-running on Wednesday definitely won't win any awards.

Given that the Atlanta Braves were the 2021 World Series champions and a no-doubter playoff contender last season, it's not a shock that they have started out the 2023 season red hot as well. So much so that you could make the case that they have three legitimate MVP candidates in the lineup with Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley and Matt Olson (though Sean Murphy is making his case too).

The base-running of Acuña and Riley on Wednesday against the Padres definitely won't end up on the MVP mixtape, though.

After Acuña hit a single and then stole second base, Riley ripped a hard grounder that Manny Machado snagged at third base. Acuña was caught in a rundown after thinking the ball was getting through, but attempted to cheekily hold up the play so Riley could maybe try and take second base.

Instead, the rundown came to a quick halt and then Riley was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, getting thrown out diving back into first base.

Tell the Little Leaguers to hide their eyes before that play comes on the screen — that's definitely not how that's supposed to be done.

Of course, with the way that Acuña and Riley have played this season, you can forgive a little base-running snafu, even if it turned a runner on second with one out into a double play.

So far this season entering Wednesday's contest, a healthy Acuña is slashing .368/.448/.553 with three home runs, 11 RBI and seven stolen bases. Riley, for his part, is slashing .294/.383/500 with four homers and 11 RBI as well.

This just goes to show that even the best in baseball sometimes experience moments that aren't their finest. Acuña and Riley's base-running exploits certainly qualify there.