Ronald Acuña Jr. is seemingly sooner or later away from his return to Truist Park. The Braves scratched Acuña from what would have been his sixth rehab look with Triple-A Gwinnett. Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase studies that Acuña is en route to fulfill the staff in Atlanta. Francys Romero provides that the Braves intend to activate him from the injured listing earlier than tomorrow’s sequence opener in opposition to the Padres.
It’s three days shy of the one-year anniversary of Acuña’s season-ending ACL tear. On Might 26, 2024, he tore the ligament in his left knee whereas bluffing a stolen base try. It was the second time in his seven-year profession {that a} season had been lower quick by a devastating knee damage. Acuña tore the ACL in his proper knee in July 2021, sidelining him for his or her World Collection run.
Acuña made a faster return from his first ACL tear. He was reinstated earlier than the top of April 2022. He confirmed some indicators of rust all through that 12 months, hitting .266/.351/.413 the remainder of the best way. That was properly under his 2018-21 manufacturing. He adopted with a career-best season to win the 2023 NL MVP award. He’d been out to a slower begin final season, batting .250/.351/.365 throughout 49 video games.
The Braves took issues extra slowly with Acuña’s second ACL rehab. He didn’t log any sport motion in Spring Coaching and has spent the primary two months of the season on the IL. Atlanta despatched him to their complicated to start a rehab project 10 days in the past. He performed one sport there earlier than reporting to Gwinnett, the place he collected 5 hits and took seven walks in 5 video games. The Braves have evidently seen sufficient to plug him again into Brian Snitker’s lineup, presumably in his customary leadoff spot.
Alex Verdugo has been hitting atop the order whereas enjoying day by day in left discipline. He’s struggling offensively for a second consecutive 12 months. Verdugo has hit .257/.314/.330 with out a residence run in 118 plate appearances. That’s on par along with his .233/.291/.356 batting line in final season’s disappointing run with the Yankees.
Acuña has been a full-time proper fielder over the previous half-decade. He’ll slot again into that place, the place Eli White has performed his approach into common enjoying time. He might slide to left discipline and lower into Verdugo’s reps. White hit .311/.367/.600 with eight extra-base hits in April. His bat has cooled this month (.269/.310/.358 with no residence runs), however that’s nonetheless a bit higher than what Verdugo has offered.
White hits right-handed however has been higher with out the platoon benefit all through his profession. The lefty-hitting Verdugo is a lot better in opposition to righty pitching, as anticipated. Jurickson Profar can be again from his PED suspension in July. He’ll presumably return to on a regular basis left discipline work, although he’d be ineligible for postseason play if the Braves qualify.
Atlanta has clawed again to .500 following their 0-7 begin to the season. They’re three video games again of the NL’s remaining Wild Card spot, which is at present held by the staff they’ll welcome tomorrow. San Diego swept the Braves over a four-game set to open the 12 months, however they’re taking a six-game shedding streak into this weekend’s sequence.
The Braves technically solely must create an lively roster spot for Acuña’s return from the 10-day IL, however they’re fairly more likely to designate somebody for project tomorrow. Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris II are the one hitters on the lively roster who’ve minor league choices. Luke Williams, Stuart Fairchild and Orlando Arcia are all out of choices and have seen little to no enjoying break day the bench in latest weeks.
