Acuña Jr. Stays With Triple-A for 2 Games as Rainout Delays Braves Return

Q: After battling recurring hamstring issues and ACL tears, can Ronald Acuña Jr. truly reclaim his explosive form upon his Monday return?

Yes, but expecting Ronald Acuña Jr. to look instantly like peak 2023 Acuña on Monday would be unrealistic. The encouraging signs are real. During his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett, he has played right field regularly, run the bases aggressively, stolen a base, and shown no obvious hesitation. The Braves’ staff has also pointed to the quality of his contact: multiple balls at 95 mph or harder, with nine of 14 balls in play for Gwinnett reportedly reaching that threshold. Walt Weiss has said Acuña is “physically… good to go,” and the club’s decision to keep him down for extra at-bats is more about timing and impact than health alone. That said, there are still legitimate reasons for caution. This is his second left hamstring strain of the season, and both hamstrings and knees can affect the explosiveness that defines his game. He is also coming off a difficult stretch of lower-body injuries overall, including ACL tears in both knees in recent years. Even before this latest IL stint, his production, while still strong by normal standards, was below his MVP level. So the likeliest answer is that Acuña can reclaim his explosive form, but probably not all at once. The rehab evidence suggests his speed and bat speed are returning, and Atlanta has been careful not to rush him back before he can be “impactful.” The more important test will be whether he can sustain that burst over the next few weeks without another setback.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Jul 24

Ronald Acuña Jr. will stay with Triple-A Gwinnett for Saturday’s doubleheader instead of rejoining Atlanta after Friday’s rehab game was washed out.
The rainout interrupted what had been expected to be his final minor league appearance while recovering from a hamstring strain.
Saturday’s 2-game slate could give Acuña action in both contests before he returns to the Braves.
A Monday activation is now the likely timeline, with Sunday expected to be an off day if he plays in the doubleheader.