The Braves could be getting their superstar outfielder back sooner than expected.
Braves get encouraging Ronald Acuña Jr. return update, but timing raises questions originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Atlanta Braves might actually be getting a rare bit of positive injury news — something that’s been in short supply for them this season.
Ronald Acuña Jr. could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday against the Guardians in Cleveland, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
“In better injury news, Ronald Acuña Jr. could be activated from the 10-day IL as early as tomorrow. Acuña hasn’t played since suffering a calf strain on July 29, but the star outfielder seems to be on the verge of a relatively quick return.”
Acuña’s 2025 campaign has been stop-and-start, with the former NL MVP limited to just 55 games while recovering from both the calf issue and the torn ACL that abruptly ended his 2024 season. Still, when he has been healthy, he’s looked every bit the superstar — posting a .306 batting average, a .429 on-base percentage, and a .577 slugging mark, along with 14 home runs in 238 plate appearances.
His potential return comes at a time when Atlanta is playing for pride more than playoff contention. The Braves, now 53-68 after taking two of three from the Mets in New York, sit 16 games back of the Phillies in the NL East and trail the Wild Card by 11 games. That gap likely means their postseason hopes are gone, but they’ve managed to tread water this month at 6-6 and are aiming for their first winning month since April.
Still, bringing Acuña back is considered questionable at this juncture. Some wonder if rushing him into action for a lost season is worth the risk, with the bigger picture being a fully healthy return in 2026. The Braves will ultimately have to weigh whether his presence now is worth the gamble — or if it’s better to prioritize the long-term health of their franchise cornerstone.
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Category: Baseball
