Attaboy Arcia: Ronald Acuña Jr. trolls teammate after Braves dominate Phillies

The Atlanta Braves are reclaiming their locker room after last postseason. To catch you up on the storyline, during a postseason series agains the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023, Orlando Arcia was overheard mocking Bryce Harper, parading around the locker room shouting, "Atta boy, Harper!" The comments, which were not explicitly to a reporter, were presumed to be off the record by Arcia, but to his and the Braves' surprise, were put in print by a reporter who overheard them.

Players were understandably upset that the comment was published. It created a lot of tension between players and reporters in the Braves locker room for the rest of the year.

The Phillies went on a tear and a question was posed over whether Arcia should shoulder any blame for the Phillies success, who were clearly motivated in excess by Arcia's gloating. Harper, on a home run trot, stared Arcia down.

Now, less than a year later, the Braves have already turned it into a lighthearted moment and reclaimed it for the better for themselves.

Braves reclaim 'Atta boy' phrase

David O'Brien reported that after the Braves big 12-4 win over the Phillies, star Ronald Acuña Jr. went over to Arcia and hit him with a familiar phrase. Atta boy!

Obviously, it's easy to keep the locker room light when you're winning, and Arcia has done his part with six hits in the first two games. But this is a strong veteran move from Acuña. It would be easy for Arcia to look around, in the visitor Philly locker room and remember the words that got published last year. Instead, Acuña now gives the location, and the phrase, better meaning for his fellow teammate.

Subtly, it may have been an olive branch as well. To choose to do this with reporters present serves as a reminder that the players want to be treated fairly, but that all is well between the players and media moving forward.

No longer can "Atta boy!" haunt the Braves.