Former Braves pitcher thinks team needs to retaliate for Ronald Acuña HBP

On a podcast with David O’Brien of The Athletic, Eric O’Flaherty thinks the Braves should respond the next time Ronald Acuña is plunked.

Intentional or not, Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker needs to stick up for his players. At some point, enough is enough, and another Ronald Acuña HBP could have consequences.

It should be noted that Snitker did not quell on prompts by Atlanta media as to whether the Mets intentionally hit Acuña. The Braves right fielder is fine, for now, and will be in the lineup Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins. As for Acuña’s teammates, their frustration showed.

“In that spot, [Megill] was trying to go up and in,” catcher Sean Murphy said. “You wouldn’t throw at a guy 0-2 in that moment. But it still sucks. It gets guys riled up.”

Should Atlanta Braves fire back over Ronald Acuña?

This isn’t the first time Acuña has been at the center of a similar controversy. The Marlins, who Atlanta is facing starting Tuesday, have long been victims of Acuña’s wrath, and as a result have tried just about everything to avoid that fate — including scaring him off the plate. Side note: That has not worked.

On ‘755 is Real’, The Athletic’s Braves podcast, David O’Brien and Eric O’Flaherty discussed the possibility of retaliation for the next Acuña HBP.

In the podcast, linked here, O’Flaherty goes in detail about how he would’ve handled such a situation as a player. If a team’s best player is continually pitched up and in without a response, it sends a message to future opponents that this behavior is tolerated. Retaliation, or fear of a response, can change that.

Whether obvious or not, Atlanta needs to send a message to the rest of the league and Mets — pitch inside to Acuña at your own risk.