The most effective crew in baseball will likely be with out its greatest star for a couple of weeks.
The Braves positioned Ronald Acuña Jr. on the injured checklist Sunday with a strained left hamstring. Acuña exited Saturday’s recreation after pulling up in appreciable ache whereas operating out a groundout. Supervisor Walt Weiss instructed reporters that imaging revealed a Grade 1 pressure, the least extreme grade. Based on MLB.com, Weiss stated:
“It’s not going to be only a couple days. It’s gonna be greater than that, so we have to put him on the IL, and hopefully it’ll be earlier than later. No concept with these gentle tissue accidents how lengthy they’re gonna take, however I believe the silver lining is that the MRI confirmed it wasn’t too critical.”
Whereas many gamers return from Grade 1 hamstring strains in only a couple weeks, and even following the 10-day minimal, that is an damage that may linger and delay a return.
That is, clearly, lower than preferrred for the Braves. Acuña is their greatest participant and was projected within the preseason because the ninth-best place participant in baseball with 5.4 WAR, in response to our Depth Charts. Although his efficiency hasn’t been spectacular to date, with a 111 wRC+ in 152 plate appearances, his .381 xwOBA and 12.2% barrel price — together with sturdy strikeout and stroll charges — recommend he hasn’t missed a beat this yr, coming off his bounce-back 2025 season.
In fact, final yr was a comeback marketing campaign as a result of Acuña missed most 2024 (and the early a part of 2025) after tearing his ACL. He additionally missed chunks of 2021 and 2022 with a torn ACL in his different knee. In 2018, he missed a couple of month with a gentle ACL sprain. Meaning Acuña’s hamstring pressure is his fourth decrease physique damage requiring IL time in his profession.
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To interchange Acuña on the energetic roster, the Braves known as up speedy outfielder José Azocar, who has a 74 wRC+ in elements of 4 seasons within the majors. Azocar seemingly gained’t play a bunch, because the Braves are anticipated to platoon Mike Yastrzemski and Eli White in Acuña’s absence. However heart fielder Michael Harris II has missed three of the final 4 video games with a quad damage, so relying on what occurs, Azocar could also be thrust into extra taking part in time than anticipated.
The Braves have handled a rash of accidents within the early season, principally of their pitching employees. They did get a key piece again on Sunday, when Spencer Strider returned from an indirect damage (although his outing didn’t go significantly effectively). However with Acuña out, the Braves have 12 gamers on the IL.
Nonetheless, the beginning of the season has been nothing in need of an incredible success for Atlanta, as Jay Jaffe outlined final week. At 25-10, the Braves not solely boast the very best report within the majors, in addition they have the very best run differential. Whereas a short Acuña absence would possibly pose a problem, they sit comfortably atop the NL East.
Cal Raleigh, Ben Rice Sit for a BitThe Braves head to Seattle on Monday to face the Mariners, who might or will not be with out considered one of their prime gamers.
Cal Raleigh was a late scratch for Saturday’s recreation with what was described as “normal soreness.” Earlier than Sunday’s recreation, he instructed reporters he was coping with a little bit of ache in his core. The problem started Friday, although he stated there wasn’t essentially a particular play that triggered it. Thus far, Raleigh has not been positioned on the injured checklist; the Mariners known as up catcher Jhonny Pereda in the interim.
After struggling out the gate in 2026, Raleigh has picked it up with 5 homers over his final 10 video games. In contrast to the Braves, the Mariners aren’t fairly ready to merely keep afloat with out considered one of their prime gamers. They entered the season as favorites within the American League by our Playoff Odds, however after getting swept by the Royals, they sit at 16-19. The excellent news for the Mariners is the remainder of the AL West stays uninspired, and we nonetheless give them the second-best odds within the AL to win the World Collection. However as I famous within the preseason, Seattle’s success depends fairly a bit on Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez being wholesome and productive.
Leap-frogging the Mariners for the very best odds to win the American League are the Yankees, who additionally occur to have a star slugger briefly sidelined. Ben Rice is listed as day-to-day with a bruise on his hand. The damage occurred whereas receiving a pickoff try from Max Fried within the third inning on Sunday. The ball appeared to catch him awkwardly sq. within the palm, the place the padding on his glove is kind of skinny.
Earlier than the damage, Rice smacked his twelfth homer of the yr within the first inning. After the damage, he hit a popup that landed in no-man’s land for a double within the fourth. He was eliminated when the Yankees took the sphere within the fifth. The 2 extra-base hits gave him a significant league-leading 224 wRC+.
Aces DownA trio of prime pitchers additionally went down over the weekend.
Twins ace Joe Ryan left Sunday’s begin with elbow soreness after dealing with simply two batters. He struck out the primary, walked the second, then signaled to the bench.
Ryan’s fastball velocity has been down to start the season, from 93.7 mph final yr to 92.6 mph. That drop hasn’t appeared to have an effect on him a lot, as he’d entered the day with a 2.99 FIP in seven begins, making him one of many prime 15 starters by WAR. The final fastball he threw Sunday, nevertheless, was at 90.9 mph.
It’s unclear the extent of the damage, although it’s presumed to require a visit to the IL on the minimal. Ryan will get imaging this week. If he returns wholesome, he’s anticipated to be one of the sought-after gamers on the commerce deadline.
Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski was faraway from his begin on Friday with a hamstring damage. He’d thrown 5 1/3 hitless innings with eight strikeouts towards the Nationals. He’d additionally unleashed 43 pitches 100 mph or quicker, simply 4 shy of Hunter Greene’s single-game report of 47. After which he threw a 98.9-mph fastball earlier than leaving the sport with trainers.
Misiorowski stated he felt the discomfort from the beginning of the sixth inning. Per the Related Press:
“Most likely in regards to the final warmup pitch after which that complete first batter I had it,” Misiorowski stated. “It didn’t actually get horrible till that first pitch to [James] Wooden, after which it actually grabbed. A kind of issues.”
Misiorowski will not be set to have any imaging achieved, and the Brewers consider he prevented critical damage. He’s day-to-day.
Crimson Sox lefty Ranger Suarez additionally hopes to have prevented a critical hamstring damage. He exited his begin Sunday after the fourth inning, together with his pitch rely at 70. Suarez was throwing a shutout and cruising by way of the Astros lineup, then merely didn’t return to the mound to start the fifth.
He stated after the sport it was tightness in his proper hamstring. He additionally missed time in 2023 with a proper hamstring damage, although he stated this time feels totally different. He’s optimistic he gained’t have to be positioned on the IL.
The Crimson Sox definitely hope that’s the case. They entered the season with the most effective rotations within the majors and have since misplaced their prime two starters in Garrett Crochet (shoulder irritation) and Sonny Grey (hamstring pressure). Grey is anticipated to return after a minimal keep on the IL, however shedding any extra time from their frontline starters will make climbing out of their gap within the AL East tougher.
Veteran Starters on the ShelfThe Brewers positioned Brandon Woodruff on the injured checklist with shoulder irritation on Friday, a day after he left his begin within the second inning, together with his fastball averaging simply 85 mph — greater than 7 mph beneath his common from final yr. He instructed reporters there’s nothing structurally fallacious together with his shoulder and expects a minimal keep on the IL.
The Angels positioned Yusei Kikuchi on the injured checklist Sunday with shoulder irritation, stemming from his begin Wednesday, which he exited after simply two innings. His 3.73 FIP (regardless of a 5.81 ERA) up to now this yr is an enchancment from his first season in Anaheim, serving to the Angels boast a stunning top-five beginning rotation by WAR up to now in 2026. The crew has not but supplied a timeline for his return.
Editor’s word: This story was filed earlier than information broke that two-time Cy Younger winner Tarik Skubal will endure surgical procedure in his left elbow to take away free our bodies. We will likely be masking that damage is a separate piece on Tuesday.
