“Braves manager Brian Snitker said he believes Ronald Acuña Jr. is in the best shape of his life,” via Grant McAuley on X, formerly Twitter. When asked about it, Acuña smiled and said, “I think he’s right.”

That might sound bold after a second major ACL surgery in four years, but Acuña’s performance said it all. His 115.5 mph blast marked the hardest-hit ball by a Braves player this season and made him the first in AL/NL history to hit a leadoff homer in his first at-bat after missing at least 150 games.

Acuña added a third-inning single and made multiple defensive highlights, including a perfect throw to second base to cut down Elias Díaz trying to stretch a single in the eighth. It was a full showcase of the tools that made him one of the game’s most electrifying stars.

Ronald Acuña Jr ready to help Braves win

“You better not go get a beer or anything because you might miss something cool,” Snitker said. “He’s that kind of force in the game. He’s going to energize everybody.”

Even Braves ace Chris Sale, who pitched seven dominant innings in the 2-1 loss to the Padres, was in awe.

“You probably had a packed house of Braves fans halfway expecting something like that to happen,” Sale said. “That was one of the cooler moments I’ve seen on a baseball field.”

Acuña’s homer wasn’t just a flash—it was the culmination of patience and hard work. After rushing back from his first ACL tear in 2022 and struggling with lingering issues, Acuña took a more measured approach this time, rehabbing for nearly 12 months.

“If it wasn’t for the first go-around, I probably would have rushed the process and been back sooner,” Acuña said. “But I wouldn’t have been ready to play the way I am. This time, we took our time, and I’m fully recovered.”

That recovery was on full display Friday. He ran the bases smoothly, played with confidence in the outfield, and looked like the same explosive player who hit 41 homers and stole 73 bases last year.

Still, the Braves couldn’t pull off the win. A ninth-inning homer from Manny Machado off Raisel Iglesias and a base-running gaffe by Eli White in the bottom half spoiled what should’ve been a storybook night. But for a team searching for momentum, Acuña’s return was a massive emotional boost.

“It’s huge,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “The energy he brings … he can change a game at any point.”

The Braves may have lost the game, but with Acuña back and thriving, they just might have found their spark.