{"id":57400,"date":"2025-05-25T09:03:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T09:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=57400"},"modified":"2025-05-25T09:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T09:03:11","slug":"ronald-acuna-jr-agrees-with-brian-snitkers-huge-claim-amid-injury-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=57400","title":{"rendered":"Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. agrees with Brian Snitker’s huge claim amid injury return"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. didn\u2019t just make his long-awaited return to the Atlanta Braves lineup on Friday night\u2014he stole the spotlight. The 2023 National League MVP smashed a 467-foot leadoff home run on the first pitch he saw in nearly a year, sending a clear message to the rest of the league: he\u2019s back, and maybe better than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cBraves manager Brian Snitker said he believes Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. is in the best shape of his life,\u201d via Grant McAuley on X, formerly Twitter. When asked about it, Acu\u00f1a smiled and said, \u201cI think he\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

That might sound bold after a second major ACL surgery in four years, but Acu\u00f1a\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Acu\u00f1a added a third-inning single and made multiple defensive highlights, including a perfect throw to second base to cut down Elias D\u00edaz trying to stretch a single in the eighth. It was a full showcase of the tools that made him one of the game\u2019s most electrifying stars.<\/p>\n

Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr ready to help Braves win<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Ronald
Brett Davis-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou better not go get a beer or anything because you might miss something cool,\u201d Snitker said. \u201cHe\u2019s that kind of force in the game. He\u2019s going to energize everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even Braves ace Chris Sale, who pitched seven dominant innings in the 2-1 loss to the Padres, was in awe.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou probably had a packed house of Braves fans halfway expecting something like that to happen,\u201d Sale said. \u201cThat was one of the cooler moments I\u2019ve seen on a baseball field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Related Atlanta Braves NewsArticle continues below<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Acu\u00f1a\u2019s homer wasn\u2019t just a flash\u2014it was the culmination of patience and hard work. After rushing back from his first ACL tear in 2022 and struggling with lingering issues, Acu\u00f1a took a more measured approach this time, rehabbing for nearly 12 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for the first go-around, I probably would have rushed the process and been back sooner,\u201d Acu\u00f1a said. \u201cBut I wouldn\u2019t have been ready to play the way I am. This time, we took our time, and I\u2019m fully recovered.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Still, the Braves couldn\u2019t 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\u2019ve been a storybook night. But for a team searching for momentum, Acu\u00f1a\u2019s return was a massive emotional boost.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s huge,\u201d third baseman Austin Riley said. \u201cThe energy he brings \u2026 he can change a game at any point.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Braves may have lost the game, but with Acu\u00f1a back and thriving, they just might have found their spark.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr stole the spotlight in his long-awaited return, and manager Brian Snitker says he’s in the best shape of his life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":57401,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[71,1014,44,740],"class_list":["post-57400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-atlanta-braves","tag-brian-snitker","tag-mlb","tag-ronald-acuna-jr"],"yoast_head":"\nRonald Acu\u00f1a Jr. agrees with Brian Snitker's huge claim amid injury return - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=57400\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. agrees with Brian Snitker's huge claim amid injury return - 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