Ronald Acuna Jr. faces fan criticism after sushi comment during Venezuela upset win over Japan in World Baseball Classic

Ronald Acuna Jr. became the center of attention after Venezuela shocked Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Venezuela pulled off a big upset by eliminating the defending champions, Japan, and booking a place in the semifinal.

But while the win brought huge celebrations, one moment from Acuña quickly started a heated debate online. After the final out, Acuna celebrated in the dugout and shouted “we ate sushi” twice while cheering with teammates. The video spread quickly across social media. Some fans enjoyed the emotion after the dramatic victory. Others, however, felt the comment was disrespectful because sushi is closely linked to Japanese culture.

The reaction online was immediate. Several users criticized the celebration and said the moment crossed the line. One fan wrote, “Kinda racist.” Another added, “Grotesque disrespect.” The criticism grew as the clip continued circulating online.

The incident has now become one of the most talked about moments from Venezuela’s dramatic win over Japan.

Ronald Acuna Jr. celebration sparks debate as Venezuela eliminates Japan from the World Baseball Classic

The controversy happened during an emotional night for Venezuela.

The team managed to defeat Japan, one of the strongest teams in international baseball. According to MLB.com and World Baseball Classic coverage, Venezuela reached the semifinals of the tournament for the first time since 2009 after the win. The game itself was full of momentum swings. Venezuela started strong when Ronald Acuna Jr. hit an early home run against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Soon after, Shohei Ohtani answered with a home run for Japan. Japan then took control of the game for a while. Teruaki Sato and Shota Morishita helped push Japan ahead as the score moved to 5-2. But Venezuela did not give up. The lineup slowly fought back, helped by key hitting and a strong bullpen performance. Venezuela’s pitchers held Japan to only four hits over the final six and one third innings, allowing the comeback to take shape.Meanwhile, Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata turned to pitcher Hiromi Itoh late in the game.

Itoh is the 2025 Eiji Sawamura Award winner, the top pitching honor in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. However, Venezuela’s offense managed to score three runs against him, shifting the game’s momentum. The game ended when Ohtani hit a fly ball for the final out, with Daniel Palencia closing the contest.Even before the final out, Acuna had already been involved in a tense moment. Earlier in the game, he argued with an umpire after a controversial check swing call on a pitch thrown by Chihiro Sumida. Coaches had to step in and calm him down. Acuna is known for his emotional personality on the field, and moments like this have happened before during his career.Still, Venezuela’s victory remains one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. The team will now move forward to the semifinal while Japan’s title defense comes to an end.