Acuña is getting closer to returning to the majors, according to a post on X by Grant McAuley.
Ronald Acuña Jr. continues his rehab assignment with #Braves Triple-A Gwinnett this week. They’re on the road in Louisville starting tonight.
Acuña – who’s 4-for-9 with a HR, 6 BB, and 6 R in 4G – will up his innings in the field as he ramps up for a return in the near future.
Acuña played in only 49 games last season. That came on the heels of a historic 2023 campaign where he hit 41 homers and stole 73 bases.
Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. rounding into form
The Braves have taken a slower approach with Acuña after his second major injury. His 12-month ACL recovery has been more conservative than when he tore his right ACL on July 10, 2021. He returned to action by April 28, 2022, but battled the slow-healing injury for the remainder of that season.
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The talk is Acuña could return against the Padres on May 23, according to mlb.com.
“I’m super excited to be back,” Acuña said. “I’m just peaked with anxiety, just trying to rush back to be able to play with the guys and rejoin the team.”
However, Acuña is also trying to distance himself from a social media post that went viral. Acuña cleared the air with manager Brian Snitker. He did the same with his teammates. Jared Kelenic didn’t get the same treatment as Acuña when he didn’t hustle on a play. And Acuña took exception to it. Acuña struggled with a lack of hustle at times when he was healthy. And Snitker benched him for it.
The post didn’t come from the heart, Acuña said, according to Sports Illustrated.
“That was just a moment of frustration for me,” Acuña said via translator and Braves Director, Baseball Player Relations Franco García. “Thankfully, I was able to apologize to Snit. I was in the wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. But thankfully, I was able to apologize to Snit to his face, to apologize to my teammates. We’re just turning the page and moving on.
“I talked to them man-to-man and admitted that I was wrong. (And) I told them I wouldn’t have any excuses. I took accountability for it. We have a really good relationship. I think we’ll be able to move on just fine.”
