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Snitker: Acuna's lack of hustle vs. Dodgers was unacceptable

Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker wasn't pleased with Ronald Acuna Jr. on Sunday.

Snitker removed the All-Star outfielder from an important game against the Los Angeles Dodgers before the fifth inning for failing to hustle out of the batter's box on a deep fly ball during a third-inning at-bat. The ball bounced off the right-field wall for a long single.

Before the fifth inning, Snitker followed Acuna into the tunnel to talk with the young star before replacing him with Adam Duvall.

"He didn't run," Snitker replied when asked why Acuna was pulled from the game, according to FOX Sports: Braves. "You've got to run. It's not going to be acceptable here. As a teammate, you're responsible for 24 other guys and that name on the front is a lot more important than that name on the back of that jersey.

"You can't do that. We're trying to accomplish something and do something special here and personal things got to be put on the back burner. You can't let your team down like that."

Acuna owned up to his mistake, according to Snitker, who called the youngster's reaction "mature."

"There's no excuse for it. I just kind of took it and said 'Of course.' He's the manager, I'm the player and I'll respect his decisions," Acuna explained, according to FOX Sports: Braves.

Even without their star outfielder, the Braves defeated the Dodgers, 5-3.

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