Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. trolls Phillies, gets last laugh after playing villain this season

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have a history of fierce competition, especially in the past decade. This rivalry has seen numerous regular-season and playoff battles, with the two teams facing off ten times in the last month alone. The tension between the two teams escalated during the September series when Zack Wheeler called out Ronald Acuña Jr. for his celebratory home run trot, saying it was up to him to do what he wanted.

Acuña Jr. played the villain during the first weekend in Philadelphia, openly admitting that he loved the fans there because they booed him. He stated that this was his motivation for the game. The upcoming playoff series had significant implications, as it would be the third straight playoff series in which the Phillies had beaten the Braves since 2022. However, on Thursday night, the Braves put the Phillies to sleep, controlling the game from start to finish.

In the end, Ronald Acuña Jr. got the last laugh, much like Wheeler had when he called him out at the beginning of the season. Although the rivalry between the two teams will continue for the next few years, the Braves have put the Phillies to rest, putting an end to their dominance this postseason.