Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider Officially Placed On Injured List
The Atlanta Braves officially placed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) on the injured list, the team announced. Acuna was put on the 10-day IL, while Strider is on the 15-day IL. Additionally, infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. (wrist) and catcher Sean Murphy (rib cage) were put on the 10-day IL. All the moves were backdated to March 24. Despite tearing both of his ACLs now, RotoBaller has Acuna ranked as the No. 16 fantasy outfielder in 2025. The 27-year-old former MVP and four-time All-Star is expected to make his season debut at some point in May, barring a setback once he resumes playing in games. Strider, meanwhile, is recovering from internal-brace procedure on his right elbow last April, but he's further along and is expected to make his 2025 debut in April. He was able to make two Grapefruit League starts.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) believes that he can play better than he ever has but will change his playstyle. The former 2023 NL MVP noted that he would "rather steal 30 and play a whole year as opposed to stealing 70, injuring myself and missing a whole year." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the early part of the season as he is currently targeting a return sometime in May. Acuna suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last season but is on pace to make his 2025 debut early in the campaign. Before suffering the injury in May 2024, Acuna held a .250/.351/.365 line with four home runs and 16 stolen bases. During his 2023 MVP campaign, Acuna posted an impressive .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. While he is sidelined in April, Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz will split time in right field. When he does return, he will be viewed as a high-end No. 1 outfielder. However, he may be less eager to run, which could slightly limit his overall ceiling.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Could Return In Early- To Mid-May
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is taking part in most baseball activities in camp but has not been cleared to play in Grapefruit League games. Acuna will embark on a minor-league rehab assignment once the 2025 regular season begins in late March, and his return should come in early- to mid-March, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The 2023 National League MVP has the ability to make a huge impact for the Braves and for fantasy managers when he makes his season debut. Acuna also won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and has made four All-Star appearances. However, he's now torn the ACL in both of his knees since 2021 and will miss at least the first month of the 2025 season. His latest ACL tear has taken him from being the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy to No. 29 at RotoBaller.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Impressing In Live Batting Practice
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) still doesn't have a firm timetable on when he'll return from surgery to fix a torn ACL he suffered last year, but he has been impressing this spring with his performances in live batting practice, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. "He's probably as strong as he's ever been," Braves manager Brian Snitker said of the 2023 National League MVP. Acuna tore his right ACL two days before the 2021 All-Star break and tore his left ACL in late-May of 2024. It means we might not see him run as much as he did when he had a franchise-record 73 steals, but his power should remain intact after hitting impressive homers during his live BP sessions this spring. The 27-year-old has also been throwing and doing running drills, although he hasn't been cleared to cut. The Braves want to be sure that Acuna is ready to go once he makes his 2025 debut. There's more risk than ever in fantasy, but Acuna still has it in him to reach the 40-homer mark if he stays healthy.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Won't Play In Spring Games, Could Run Less In 2025
Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) won't play in any spring training games but might serve as the designated hitter in some games on the backfields. There has been no discussion of Acuna DHing at all during the regular season once he comes off the injured list, and the team won't have any timetable until late spring for when he might come off the IL. Acuna is way ahead of the same stage of his previous ACL recovery, but he also said he's planning to "take it easy" on the base paths after tearing his left ACL last May. It was the 27-year-old second torn ACL -- he tore his right ACL in 2021. He said he's running at around 90-95% and feels more stable than when he came back after his first surgery. Not only will Acuna not be running as much, but he's expected to miss around the first month of the season. It's why he's fallen to No. 26 overall in RotoBaller's fantasy rankings.
The Athletic's David O'Brien writes that the Atlanta Braves will be careful not to rush outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) back this year to avoid a repeat of 2022 when he played with lingering soreness and had diminished power and confidence after he tore his right ACL in July of 2021. Acuna tore his left ACL in 2024 and had surgery in early June. He talked his way back into the lineup nine months after his previous surgery, but this time Acuna said he'll leave the decisions entirely up to the medical staff to determine when he's ready to resume playing. The Braves won't include him on the Opening Day roster in 2025 to try and protect Acuna from himself. A return in late April or early May seems like the most reasonable timetable, which would give him around two extra months to rehab compared to his first ACL tear. Despite the fact that he'll miss time, Acuna ranks as RotoBaller's No. 26 overall player in 2025.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Expected To Miss First Month Of The Season
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is expected to miss the first month or so of the 2025 season while recovering from ACL surgery on his left knee, which is the second ACL surgery after he tore his right ACL back in 2021, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin and David O'Brien. Acuna's recovery is part of the reason the Braves signed outfielder Jurickson Profar to a three-year, $42 million deal on Thursday. Atlanta plans to use Profar in left field and have Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz compete in right field until Acuna returns. When Acuna eventually returns, he'll likely require more days off than usual as the Braves play it cautious with the superstar outfielder. The 27-year-old four-time All-Star and former MVP put up beastly number in 2023, hitting 41 homers, driving in 106 and stealing 73 bases, but his lower-body injuries are piling up and making him a much bigger fantasy risk. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 33 overall player coming off his second ACL tear.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) looked good taking batting practice in his home country of Venezuela earlier this week in a video that was posted by a professional baseball academy in Venezuela on Instagram. Acuna suffered a second ACL tear, this time to his left knee, at the end of May of last season and missed the rest of the year. It's good to see the 2023 National League MVP, four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger and 2018 NL Rookie of the Year swinging the bat before this offseason, but there's still a good chance he won't be ready to go for Opening Day in 2025. In 2023, Acuna was the first player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 70 bases. The 27-year-old is an elite ballplayer, but ACL tears to both of his knees in a three-year span brings along plenty of risk for long-term sustainability.
Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider Not Expected To Be Ready By Opening Day
According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow) are not expected to be ready by Opening Day. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said, "We're planning on not having them on the Opening Day roster. How soon after that, we'll see how that goes. And as we get closer and get into spring training, we'll probably be able to update." Fantasy managers should continue monitoring their progress during the offseason and Spring Training; they could potentially sit out significantly during the 2025 season. Acuna suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last May, while Spencer Strider underwent an internal brace procedure in April. During the 2023 season, Acuna captured the NL MVP by hitting a stellar .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 733 stolen bases. In the same season, Strider finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting with a 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 281 punchouts across 186 2/3 innings of work. When healthy, both players are elite fantasy assets and would have been consensus first-round selections in all fantasy formats.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Not Guaranteed To Be Ready For Opening Day 2025
Atlanta Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said that it's too early to know when outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) will be back. Anthopoulos said it could be as soon as Opening Day or as late as early June, if for some reason he needs more time. Right now, there have been no setbacks or reason to think it would be on the longer end of that timetable. Acuna tore his left ACL in 2024 and needed surgery, so he's not a lock to be ready for Opening Day next season. The 26-year-old had surgery on his knee in early June. Despite the uncertain timetable for Acuna, by draft season early next year, fantasy managers should have a bit more clarity on when Acuna might be ready to go. The four-time All-Star won the National League MVP in 2023 and led the league in runs (149), hits (217), steals (73), on-base percentage (.416), OPS (1.012) and total bases (383). He'll still be a high-end fantasy option for his upside across all categories despite coming off a major injury.
Ronald Acuña Jr.
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