Braves Planning For Ronald Acuna Jr. To Be Ready For Start Of Next Season
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) continues to rehab his torn ACL in Los Angeles, according to general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Acuna's rehab is going well so far, and the Braves are planning for the former MVP to be ready around the start of next season. The 26-year-old had season-ending surgery to fix the torn ACL in his left knee and was eventually moved to the 60-day injured list. Acuna's loss for the Braves and fantasy managers in 2024 cannot be overstated after a record-breaking campaign in 2023 that saw him become the first play in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases. He led the league in plate appearances (735), runs (149), hits (217), steals (73), on-base percentage (.416), OPS (1.012) and total bases (383). As a result, Atlanta's offense has suffered after his injury this year, leading them to trade for Jorge Soler on Monday night.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) addressed the media on Thursday for the first time since suffering a season-ending ACL tear in his knee on Sunday. Acuna will go under the knife next Tuesday. "It's another opportunity. Who knows, maybe I can come back and win another MVP," Acuna said. Last year's National League MVP became the first player ever to hit 40-plus home runs and steal 70-plus stolen bases in an absolutely amazing 2023 campaign, but now the Braves and fantasy managers will be without him the rest of the way in 2024 after he tore the ACL in his other knee three years ago. The four-time All-Star and former NL Rookie of the Year can be dropped in all single-year fantasy leagues. In Acuna's absence, both Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall are in line for more playing time moving forward in Atlanta.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) has officially been diagnosed with a complete ACL tear in his left knee. He is set to undergo surgery at some point in the future and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. It is a devastating blow for Acuna, the Braves, and fantasy managers alike as it marks the second time he has torn his ACL in the past four seasons. The 26-year-old was in the midst of an inconsistent season as he was slashing .250/.351/.365 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 16 stolen bases at the time of the injury. Nevertheless, he is still one of the brightest stars in all of baseball. Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall figure to see the bulk of the playing time that is now up for grabs.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Says He Is Heading To Injured List
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) told reporters that he will be heading to the injured list after suffering a knee injury during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The injury did not look great from the start as Acuna fell down in pain after faking an attempt to steal third base. There is still no word on the severity of the injury or a potential timeline to return, but it appears as though the former MVP will be sidelined for at least 10 days, if not longer. More information will surely continue to come out over the next day or two. Adam Duvall figures to be the biggest beneficiary if Acuna remains shelved for an extended period.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Leaves Sunday’s Game With Left Knee Soreness
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) left Sunday's game in the first inning with left knee soreness, which was confirmed by the Atlanta Braves. Acuna attempted to steal third base but had to make a hard pivot back to second base. As a result he fell down in pain in the infield. He was able to walk to the dugout on his power but had to take several pauses. Fantasy managers will have to wait until Sunday night when the team returns to Atlanta to undergo any further testing. Acuna was named the 2023 NL MVP in unanimous fashion as he posted a .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. If the 26-year-old were to miss any extended time, Adam Duvall should be the favorite to see the majority of starts in right field.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Leaves Sunday’s Game Early With Apparent Knee Injury
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) left Sunday's game early, suffering an apparent non-contact injury on his left knee. Acuna knocked a leadoff double and attempted to swipe third but had to take a hard pivot back to second base. Due to this, he went down in the infield in clear pain and even pointed toward his left knee. He was able to walk off the field on his power but had to pause several times before reaching the dugout. Acuna won the NL MVP Award last season with an incredible 41 long balls and 73 stolen bases. He has been off to a slow start this season with just four home runs and a .246 AVG. Currently, there is not any information on the severity of the injury, but if Acuna were to miss time, Adam Duvall would see the majority of starts in right field.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. turned in a productive performance in an 11-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. Acuna went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in the loss. The veteran's blast came in the eighth inning, traveling 397 feet with an exit velocity of 103.6 MPH. Off to a slow start this season, by his lofty standards, Acuna is now hitting .247 with four homers, 38 runs, 15 RBI, and 15 steals across 186 at-bats. With that being his first homer in over a week, Acuna will look to stay hot moving forward.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is sitting out on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs for the first time this season. With Acuna retreating to the bench, Adam Duvall will start in right field and bat six and center fielder Michael Harris II will bat leadoff for Atlanta against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. With a scheduled off day coming on Thursday, Acuna will be back in the lineup on Friday for the start of a series against the visiting San Diego Padres. The reigning National League MVP has been a bit disappointing by his standards through 155 at-bats in 2024, slashing .245/.354/.342 with only three home runs and 11 RBI, but he's also added 14 stolen bases and 33 runs scored and remains a must-start in all formats when he's active. Harris becomes a much more attractive DFS play at the top of the Braves' lineup on Wednesday.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. crushed his third home run of the year in Friday's victory over the division-rival New York Mets. Acuna's homer was a 461-foot moonshot off Mets left-hander Jose Quintana, getting the Braves on the board and catalyzing a four-run Atlanta third inning. The 26-year-old fantasy sensation's shortcomings in the power department during the early part of the season have been well-documented, as evidenced by his three bombs, six doubles, and nine RBI through 162 plate appearances, but Acuna's scored 32 runs and stolen 14 bases across 35 games atop this stacked lineup to make up for it in fantasy. Acuna gets two more shots at the Mets this weekend. In 35 games against New York since 2022, he's batting .321 with three round-trippers, 14 RBI, and 25 runs scored.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. went 2-for-5 with a home run in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Dodgers. The home run came in the eighth inning and knotted the game up at 2-2, although the Braves would go on to lose in extras. For managers that drafted the reigning MVP first overall, he's been a disappointment for fantasy with just two home runs and eight RBI on the year. The 26-year-old has scored 30 times and has stolen 13 bases, so it hasn't been all bad. Hopefully Acuna can up the power production going forward, although it could be a tall task Saturday against Tyler Glasnow and his league-leading 53 strikeouts.
