Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson has openly expressed his disapproval of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr.’s exuberant celebrations. In response, Acuña’s teammate Tyler Matzek has taken issue with Thomson’s perspective, sparking a classic NL East rivalry.

Matzek’s comments come in response to Thomson’s remarks following the Braves-Phillies game on Tuesday. During that match, Acuña crushed a lengthy home run in the 5th inning, putting the Braves in the lead. Atlanta ultimately secured a 7-6 victory in extra innings.

Acuña’s exuberant celebration as he rounded the bases clearly didn’t sit well with the old-school Thomson. The Phillies’ manager stated, “I like our guys to act like they’ve been there before.”

While Thomson may prefer his players to act as if they’ve been there, it’s hard to argue that they have. This is because Acuña is in the midst of a historic season. The Braves’ star outfielder has already become the first player in MLB history to achieve both 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a single season. His next milestone is the potential to become just the fifth player ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single campaign. Acuña has already reached the stolen base mark and is just three home runs away from hitting 40, following Wednesday night’s game.

In the meantime, Matzek will let his social media posts speak for him. The reliever underwent Tommy John surgery in October of the previous year and will not be pitching in 2023.Braves pitcher defends his teammate Acuna Jr against Phillies manager