Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was confronted by two enthusiastic fans who stormed Denver’s Coors Field during Monday’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
Video footage from the game shows a fan hugging Acuña in the field, appearing to try to take a photo. A security guard dressed in black ran toward them and tried to pull the fan away.
Two other security guards appeared, one grabbing the fan’s legs and another his arm, but the fan keeps a strong hold around Acuña.
Another eager fan then entered the field and leapt towards Acuña, and was subsequently body-slammed to the ground by security guards. In the action, Acuña fell backward and got back up on his own.
Some fellow baseball players ran to Acuña’s aid and the security guards escorted the fans off the field, but one didn’t go willingly. One fan calmly allowed security to walk him off field, but the other kept waving his hands, kicking and flailing to get the 25-year-old star athlete’s attention and had to be carried away by three guards.
The scuffle unfolded during the seventh inning, ESPN reported.
The Braves ended up beating the Rockies, 14-4, and Acuña didn’t appear to be injured in the incident.
Acuña, who is from Venezuela and made his Major League Baseball debut in 2018, is a favorite for the league’s MVP award this season.
“I was a little scared at first,” Acuña said through an interpreter, The Associated Press reported. “I think the fans were out there and asking for pictures. I really couldn’t say anything because at that point, security was already there and we were already kind of tangled up, but security was able to get there and everything’s OK. We’re all OK, and I hope they’re OK.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker told ESPN: “You don’t want to see that happen, I know that. You don’t know what they will do when they get out there. It’s a scary situation.”
