Braves' Acuna commits to HR Derby in Atlanta

Braves slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. said Wednesday he'll beryllium competing successful the Home Run Derby astatine Truist Park successful Atlanta.

Acuna made the announcement connected "SportsCenter" up of the Braves' crippled against the Mets successful New York.

"I'm conscionable blessed to denote that I'll beryllium participating successful this year's Home Run Derby, and I'm adjacent much excited to beryllium doing it astatine location successful Atlanta successful beforehand of our fans," Acuna said done an interpreter. "They're a large crushed I'm doing this. I'm Ronald Acuna Jr. due to the fact that of their support. I'm conscionable excited to spell backmost and location and bash this for them."

Acuna, a four-time All-Star, volition beryllium competing successful the derby for the 3rd clip successful his career. No Braves subordinate ever has won the competition.

"I consciousness similar the anticipation and the extremity is ever to win, nary substance what," helium said. "But much than anything, I'm conscionable excited to bash it successful beforehand of our fans and enactment connected a bully amusement for them."

Acuna rejoined the Braves successful precocious May, astir 1 twelvemonth aft helium tore his near ACL, and proceeded to deed a 467-foot connected the archetypal transportation of his archetypal astatine bat. He hasn't slowed down since, carrying a .385 average, 9 homers and 16 RBIs into Wednesday night's crippled vs. the Mets.

This year's Home Run Derby volition instrumentality spot July 14, with the All-Star Game the pursuing day.