NORTH PORT, Florida \u2014 The man whose absence defined his team\u2019s 2024 has been delightfully unavoidable so far in spring training.<\/p>\n
Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr., the Atlanta Braves\u2019 franchise man, a power-speed dynamo of the highest order, had his season derailed last year by a torn ACL on May 27. That injury, his second ACL tear in a four-year span on two different legs, sent him to the surgeon’s table and the Braves a\u2019reeling. His unavailability \u2014 coupled with a seemingly never-ending cavalcade of other injuries that, most notably, included an elbow surgery to flame-throwing ace Spencer Strider \u2014 stymied Atlanta\u2019s quest for a seventh straight NL East crown. A carousel of survivors and fill-ins admirably clawed the club into a wild-card spot, but the undermanned outfit didn\u2019t manage to win a single playoff game.<\/p>\n
In the Braves\u2019 clubhouse Friday, four days ahead of the team\u2019s first full-squad workout, Acu\u00f1a spoke for nearly 10 minutes. With an ear-to-ear smile plastered on his face, the 27-year-old addressed his recovery, his mindset, his road back and his time away. He called Atlanta\u2019s outfield \u201cthe best outfield in baseball.\u201d He laughed and joked, clearly overjoyed to be back in the mix. And, impressively, he did it all in English. It was, according to those regularly around the club, the longest and most engaging interview Acu\u00f1a has ever given in his second language.<\/p>\n
And he wasn\u2019t the only notable Brave to speak on an overcast Florida morning. Alex Anthopoulos, the team\u2019s president of baseball operations, conducted his first in-person question-and-answer session of this calendar year. His eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, the elusive and secretive exec peeled back a few layers about a franchise coming off its most disappointing season since 2017.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an overview of what Acu\u00f1a and Anthopoulos had to say and how their comments intersect with the biggest questions facing the Braves as they seek to dethrone the Phillies in the NL East.<\/p>\n
On this, Anthopoulos didn\u2019t mince words: Neither player will be on the Opening Day roster.<\/p>\n
Acu\u00f1a, who has been taking batting practice, won\u2019t appear in any Grapefruit League games, per Anthopoulos. His biggest hurdle remaining is full-gas cutting and planting, vital movements in the outfield. Anthopoulos also shared that Acu\u00f1a won\u2019t slot in at DH whenever he\u2019s back.<\/p>\n
But the major takeaway is that the swashbuckling Venezuelan is on schedule and in good spirits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe priority is that I feel great \u2014 that\u2019s the most important thing,\u201d Acu\u00f1a shared. \u201cWhen they tell me I need to play that day, I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Strider, who threw a bullpen Friday, might make an appearance or two in late March, but he isn\u2019t expected back in the bigs until late April. He hasn\u2019t yet faced live hitters but should do so in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
These two players, obviously, are absolutely crucial to the 2025 Braves. The calculus of the 2024 team was equally straightforward and, thus, unfortunate. Acu\u00f1a and Strider, a top-five position player and pitcher in the world, hardly played. All-Star third baseman Austin Riley missed the last month and a half. Starting catcher Sean Murphy was hurt for the first two months. Second baseman Ozzie Albies and center fielder Michael Harris II were also out for extended stretches.<\/p>\n
But it all starts with Acu\u00f1a and Strider. That the team is slow-playing this duo in spring makes sense. Setting low expectations about their return dates represents a simpler path forward, one with less opportunity for fan disappointment. So while their paths to full health will remain a huge story this spring, it was smart for Anthopoulos to be definitive and unwavering about their timelines.<\/p>\n
Atlanta\u2019s biggest offseason addition came just a few weeks ago, with the signing of outfielder Jurickson Profar. The big-grinning Curacaoan enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024, earning a starting nod in the All-Star Game and, now, a sturdy three-year deal with the Braves.<\/p>\n
But besides that, the typically active Anthopoulos was notably trigger-shy. The team\u2019s most significant offseason trade was a salary dump in November that sent Jorge Soler to Anaheim. Meanwhile, a cadre of established players departed in free agency. Longtime ace Max Fried signed a hefty deal with the Yankees. Rotation stalwart Charlie Morton is now an Oriole. Atlanta opted to not pick up an option year on clubhouse leader and veteran catcher Travis d\u2019Arnaud, who is now with the Angels. The only other remaining Braves who were meaningful contributors in the 2021 World Series triumph are Riley, Albies and Ian Anderson.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s difficult to argue that the arrivals outweigh the departures. This inactivity has elicited agitation among some Braves fans, who, understandably, want the club to take full advantage of its competitive window. But Anthopoulos pushed back against the idea that his team, currently carrying the eighth-highest payroll in the game, was acting purely out of frugality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest difference is we\u2019ve spent a lot on our own players,\u201d he said. \u201cI think we have the most, probably, long-term contracts of the majority of teams. You start looking around the roster, not necessarily in the rotation, but we have long-term contracts all over the place. We didn\u2019t have that many holes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we\u2019ve lost free agents \u2014 no doubt about it. But we have some people we\u2019re going to give opportunities to.\u201d<\/p>\n
The most likely Opening Day outfield alignment features Profar in left, the fleet-footed Michael Harris II patrolling center and former top prospect Jarred Kelenic in right. Kelenic was underwhelming in his first year as a Brave in 2024 and figures to spend most of his time as a bench bat once Acu\u00f1a returns.<\/p>\n
With Strider on the shelf, two of the five rotation spots are up for grabs. Reigning Cy Young winner Chris Sale, All-Star Reynaldo Lopez and breakout rookie Spencer Schwellenbach are locks. Grant Holmes, a well-traveled vet who enjoyed a bounce-back 2024, is the favorite for the fourth spot. And Anderson, who shined as a youngster with the Braves before he suffered a bout of injuries, seems primed to grab the temporary fifth spot.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a group that, until Strider returns, looks a little light, but Anthopoulos explained he didn\u2019t want to crowd the pitching situation by adding another free-agent arm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For the 2025 Braves, much like the 2024 team, it all starts with Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. and Spencer Strider.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":34675,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n