Ronald Acuna Jr. gave the Atlanta Braves a scare Thursday night, just one day before the outfielder's potential return from the injured list. MLB.com's Mark Bowman reassured fans that it was not anything more serious than slight discomfort for the 28-year-old.
Acuna's cleat caught into the dirt in the batter's box during a fourth-inning strikeout in his rehab game with Triple-A Gwinnett, causing his foot to turn awkwardly. He began to limp before walking back into the dugout normally.
Even with the reassurance, Braves fans have a reason to be nervous, with Acuna having landed on the injured list on June 10 with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, the second such injury this season, and he has spent several weeks working through recovery and rehab assignments with the Florida Complex League Braves and Gwinnett.
The Braves star outfielder is batting .251 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and 35 walks. It's a drop from a strong 2025, when he finished the year with 21 home runs and a .291 batting average.
During his rehab stints, Acuna has struggled a bit at the plate, with one home run and a .217 batting average, but the numbers are not to be concerned about, as manager Walt Weiss has said that Acuna being physically ready to play is the most important news as he nears his return.
© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Braves, who improved to 60-42 with a 6-5 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday, sit atop the National League East and own the third-best record in baseball. They open a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday at Camden Yards, with Weiss not ruling out activating Acuna in time for the opener.
If not Friday, Weiss said Atlanta's star should be back "almost certainly this weekend."
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