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Ronald Acuña Jr. is seemingly in the future 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 stories that Acuña is en route to fulfill the group in Atlanta. Francys Romero provides that the Braves intend to activate him from the injured record earlier than tomorrow’s sequence opener towards 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 harm. Acuña tore the ACL in his proper knee in July 2021, sidelining him for his or her World Sequence run.
Acuña made a faster return from his first ACL tear. He was reinstated earlier than the tip of April 2022. He confirmed some indicators of rust all through that yr, hitting .266/.351/.413 the remainder of the best way. That was nicely 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 recreation motion in Spring Coaching and has spent the primary two months of the season on the IL. Atlanta despatched him to their advanced to start a rehab task 10 days in the past. He performed one recreation 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 every single day in left area. He’s struggling offensively for a second consecutive yr. Verdugo has hit .257/.314/.330 and not using 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 means into common enjoying time. He might slide to left area 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 towards 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 area 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 last Wild Card spot, which is at present held by the group they’ll welcome tomorrow. San Diego swept the Braves over a four-game set to open the yr, 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 prone to designate somebody for task 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 time without work the bench in current weeks.
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