"I ate Sushi." The main character of the insult, there was no apple + explanation! Entering the press conference after the 'dance party' → "Aquña danced the best."

*This content was translated by AI.

"My cousin Acuña is the best dancer"

There was no apology or explanation from Ronald Acuña Jr. (29, Atlanta Braves), who was at the center of the controversy for his insulting words and actions against Japan. Rather, he went to the official press conference after performing a dance to celebrate victory in the clubhouse. His cousin, infielder Mikel Garcia (26, Kansas City Royals) even witnessed dancing.

Venezuela's national baseball team defeated Italy 4-2 in the semifinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 17th (Korea time), building a golden tower of advancing to the finals for the first time ever. After being dragged 0-2, he added one point in the fourth inning and scored three points in the seventh inning to turn the game around.

Acuña was by far the leading player in the come-from-behind victory. Acuña laid the groundwork for the come-from-behind victory by hitting a decisive timely hit in the top of the seventh inning with two outs and runners on the first and third bases. Acuña's expression was brighter than ever when he entered the press conference room after the game with his "cousin brother" Maikel Garcia, who made a timely hit to make it 3-2.

Acuña was at the center of controversy shortly after the quarterfinals against Japan on the 15th. After defeating Japan 8-5, he rose to international issues by shouting, "We ate sushi!" Some media outlets, including The Athletic, also analyzed that it could be a racist expression. However, there was not a single word of explanation for this. Rather, he entered the press conference late because of the dance.

Garcia, who entered the interview room together, sparked controversy by conveying the atmosphere of the locker room. Garcia said, "There was a dance scene (after the game). "I was really happy because it was my first time to advance to the WBC finals," he said. "Honestly, I think my cousin (Aquña) is the best dancer on our team."

Acuña enjoyed only the winner's composure despite criticism that he lacked respect for his opponent. Acuña said, "We fully deserve this tournament. We will play on the field with the same energy and passion," he said, maintaining a confident attitude.

In fact, there were no questions related to the controversy over Japanese insults throughout the post-match press conference, including the pre-press conference. There were also Korean reporters, but it was not easy to ask questions first. Acuña also seems to have made it clear that it has no intention of mentioning this issue first. His skills were 'superstars', but he still failed to take off the label of 'troublemaker' in terms of manners.

Acuña, who led his team to the final by setting the stage for a turnaround, now has only one last game left. Venezuela will compete with the U.S., the host country and the "baseball player" for the championship on the 18th.

Finally, Acuña said, "America is all superstars, but we are also great. Let's see what the result will be," he said, expressing strong confidence toward the final.

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*This content was translated by AI.