Atlanta Braves fans have long been awaiting the return of Ronald Acuña Jr., who hasn’t suited up for the team since tearing his ACL last May. The right fielder has been ramping up his baseball activity as of late and is quickly reminding fans and teammates alike of his abilities at the plate.

The MLB veteran has been taking batting practice for the past few weeks and has been roping lengthy home runs. “[Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers] said [Acuña] was in the cage the other day whistling that bat like some guys do a Wiffle ball bat,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Acuña is no stranger to home runs. He has two 41 homer seasons and is the founding member of the 40-70 club. However, the 2023 National League MVP has now had both ACLs repaired, and many have questioned if he will ever fully return to his former glory. Snitker assures this won’t be an issue.

Braves fans are eager to see their dynamic star return. However, it is likely that Acuña won’t make his first appearance of the 2025 season until May. Acuña tore his right ACL just ahead of the 2021 All-Star Break and dealt with lingering discomfort when he returned to the field ten months later. Atlanta is hoping to avoid the issue this time.

“When he comes back, we want him to be able to go,” Snitker said. “We’re going to make sure he is ready to go when we do turn him loose.” Atlanta is being cautious about its star right-fielder’s return despite his dominance in batting practice. For the time being, Acuña is refamiliarizing himself with hitting homers as he prepares to hit the field again.