The Braves are getting star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. back into the fold, but to make room for him on the roster, Atlanta had to push a name Phillies fans will remember well out.
Shortstop Orlando Arcia was designated for assignment on Friday in tandem with the Braves' activation of Acuña from their Injured List. Arcia was a sub-.200 hitter this season, and the guy Bryce Harper famously stared down as he rounded the bases on two massive homers for the Phils in the 2023 NLDS.
Your refresher:
The background of that iconic Phillies postseason moment stemmed from the end of Game 2 in that series down in Atlanta. The Braves closed the game out on a baserunning error by Harper, and Arcia, getting ahead of himself in the Braves' clubhouse after, went around mockingly shouting "Ha-ha, atta-boy, Harper!" with the media in the room.
Word got out quickly, Harper and the Phillies heard it, and coming back to Philadelphia with the series tied, 1-1, they made sure it all came back to haunt Arcia and the Braves – Harper especially.
There was no answer. The Phillies eliminated the Braves, 3-1, in the best-of-5 set to advance to the NLCS, and all Arcia could do in defense was complain through a translator that Harper was never supposed to hear his taunt. It was way too late for that.
Arcia tried to return the favor to Harper on hits he made against the Phils a couple of times last summer, but it was in the regular season, when the stakes were dramatically lower, and all while the Phils were on their way to the NL East title and as Arcia was hitting a pretty lowly .218.
This year, in only 14 games, his slash line was .194/.219/.226, while Harper has been going off ever since buzzing his hair earlier this month.
The #Braves today returned OF Ronald Acuña Jr. from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list. The club also designated INF Orlando Arcia for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 23, 2025
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