The Atlanta Braves’ challenging year encountered another setback Tuesday evening. Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left Atlanta’s defeat against the Kansas City Royals (KC 9, ATL 6) due to discomfort in his right Achilles tendon and will be placed on the 10-day injured list, as reported by The Athletic. Tuesday marked Acuña’s 55th game of the season after recovering from an ACL tear last year.
After the game, Acuña was seen wearing a walking boot and informed reporters that his Achilles began to trouble him during Monday’s game (via MLB.com). He is scheduled for an evaluation on Wednesday to ascertain the extent of the injury.
Acuña exited Tuesday’s game in the sixth inning after pursuing a foul ball down the line and a double into the gap by consecutive hitters. He was able to leave the field on his own, albeit carefully, which is somewhat encouraging. Walking with a severe Achilles injury is generally not possible.
Prior to leaving Tuesday’s game, Acuña was 0 for 2 with a walk, resulting in a .306/.429/.577 batting average with 14 home runs in his 55 games this season. However, he has only stolen four bases, a significant difference from the 73 bases he stole during his 2023 NL MVP season. It is reasonable that Acuña would be more cautious on the bases after his second ACL tear.
Atlanta’s entire Opening Day starting pitching lineup is on the 60-day injured list (Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver), and now they will be without their key offensive player for at least 10 days. Considering the team’s 45-61 record, the Braves are likely to manage Acuña’s recovery with caution. There is no urgency to have him return quickly.
Alex Verdugo, who played in 56 games for the Braves earlier this year, was released on July 5. Acuña’s injury might lead to a return to the major leagues for former highly-regarded prospect Jarred Kelenic, who has a lackluster .217/.289/.322 batting line in Triple-A. The Braves lack significant depth, and their subsequent best outfield option is utility player Eli White.
Tuesday’s defeat extended the Braves’ deficit to 12 ½ games behind the third wild-card position. They are anticipated to trade some secondary players before Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline.
