On Friday, Atlanta Braves teammates Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies squared off in the World Baseball Classic. Acuña’s Venezuela triumphed over the Netherlands 6-2 to open Pool D action, with Acuña emerging on the winning side.
Following the match, Acuña reportedly had a message for Albies.
From the leadoff position, Acuña contributed a double and scored two runs. In contrast, Albies, batting cleanup, had a tough outing, going hitless in four at-bats.
Despite the competitive nature, both athletes appeared to enjoy their time on the field.
These two weren’t the sole current or past Braves players involved in the game.
Chadwick Tromp, who serves as a catcher within the Braves organization and played for the big league squad between 2022 and 2025, started behind the plate for the Netherlands.
The Netherlands’ team is managed by none other than Braves icon Andruw Jones, an individual soon to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Both squads are scheduled to compete again on Saturday. The Netherlands will go up against Nicaragua, while Venezuela is set to challenge Israel.