Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and starting pitcher Spencer Strider are both slowly working their way back from their respective injuries. No timetables have been determined for either player, but both are at work getting back to health.
Acuña is down at the complex is North Port, Fla. building up his running. That was the plan following good reports from the physicians out in Los Angeles.
“Just doing the drills and strengthening exercises and running around and all that,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Acuña has been hitting in live batting practice but was only recently greenlit to start running. Once he’s considered enough up to strength, he can get a rehab assignment planned out. He continues to recover from the second ACL injury of his career. This time, it’s in his left knee. He is starting the season on the 10-day injured list.
Strider is currently playing catch and still getting treatment. It’s all flat-ground tossing right now. He’s not on a mound yet. Snitker said he wasn’t sure yet if he would return straight to the Braves or go through another rehab assignment.
“He’s just playing catch,” Snitker said.
Strider made one start following his return from recovering from UCL surgery. He pitched five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk against the Toronto Blue Jays. Ahead of his second start, he went down with a Grade 1 hamstring injury. He was doing nothing out of the ordinary when the injury happened.
Once Strider is back on a mound pitching, then a timetable can be figured out.
Both players will provide All-Star-level reinforcements to two positions of need when they return. The corner outfield positions have been a carousel all season. Three outfielders from the Opening Day roster have already disappeared from the active roster. Jurickson Profar was suspended for 80 games and the postseason, Jarred Kelenic has been optioned to Triple-A and Bryan De La Cruz is now a Yankee.
Alex Verdugo and Eli White have proven to be suitable to man the corners for now. One of them will have to move to make room for Acuña. White has experience as a shortstop and could shift to getting more playoff there in theory.
The starting rotation has some bright spots but could still use a healthy Strider AJ Smith-Shawver has returned to the active roster, and Bryce Elder and Chris Sale have looked better in their last couple starts. However, Reynaldo López could be out for the rest of the season. Ian Anderson could eventually be given another shot after he gets stretched out more and further works on his command in Triple-A.
