Diamondbacks manager backs Ronald Acuña over his own pitcher for unnecessary drama

Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel walked Ronald Acuña back to third base, creating some unnecessary drama with the Braves star.

The Diamondbacks and Ginkel would get the last laugh, as they won 5-3, taking the first two games of their series against Atlanta. However, the battle of National League heavyweights took an unnecessarily dramatic spin thanks to Ginkel, who may have endeared himself to Arizona sports fans by lashing out at Acuña, but not manager Torey Lovullo.

“We’ll get that tightened up,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. “Acuna was doing everything he was supposed to do. Kevin shouldn’t have paid any attention to that.”

Lovullo is right, for what it’s worth. He was being aggressive on the basepaths, and the D’Backs didn’t have their third baseman manning the bag. Thus, he was able to create a rather large lead. However, considering Arizona was up by more than one run in the moment, it was odd for Ginkel to take Acuña lead as some sort of person vendetta.

Diamondbacks: What was Kevin Ginkel’s problem?

In the moment, it seemed Ginkel took it as a sign of disrespect that Acuña would test him on the basepaths, even flirting with a steal of home. With Atlanta down several runs, it would’ve been unwise for Acuña to risk an out at that juncture by jolting home so late in the game. In theory, it really didn’t make much sense as anything other than a tactic to get into Ginkel’s head. In that, Acuña succeeded.

Braves: Did Ronald Acuña do anything wrong?

Clearly, Acuña was in the right in this case. His aggressiveness on the bases has been an overwhelming positive this season, as he’s on pace for at the very least a 30-30 season, and perhaps more. If Acuña sprinting down the third base line causes a relief pitcher to literally jolt off the mound and run towards him, then he’s doing his job.