MLB All-Star: Ronald Acuna Jr. was not ready for the flamethrowers at home run derby

Maybe massive flamethrowers aren't necessary at a home run derby?

Eight of baseball's best sluggers kicked off MLB's All-Star festivities at Dodgers Stadium on Monday — seven of them looking to dethrone two-time defending derby champ Pete Alonso. Among them was Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. He wasn't quite ready for the pregame pomp that included towering columns of flames in the infield.

Acuna, like the rest of Monday's participants, took a makeshift stage on the diamond after he was introduced. Up next, came Washington Nationals slugger Juan Soto. Also like the rest of the participants, Soto was welcomed to the stage by four vertical flamethrowers set up in the background. Acuna — by then standing at the back of the stage — leapt to the front when the flames set off. They were clearly a little too close — and hot — for comfort.

Yahoo Sports' Hannah Keyser reports that she could feel the flames in the press box. Imagine how hot it was for the players on the field. Per Yahoo Sports' Zach Crizer, the smell of smoke lingered in the press box well after the derby started.

Fortunately nobody got singed, and the derby carried on without incident. Unfortunately for Acuna, he was eliminated by Alonso in the first round.

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Sports at https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-all-star-ronald-acuna-jr-was-not-ready-for-flamethrowers-at-the-home-run-derby-011036530.html