Atlanta Braves Star Ronald Acuna Jr. Set To Return

Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta’s perpetually injured superstar, has officially been activated from the 10-day injured list after nursing yet another ailment. This time, it was a Grade 1 right calf strain that kept him sidelined for over two weeks. 

The Atlanta Braves made the announcement Friday before their series opener against the Cleveland Guardians, sending Sandy León down to Triple-A Gwinnett to make room for their fragile franchise player. León probably saw this coming from a mile away. When Acuna Jr. gets healthy, someone has to go.

The Injury Carousel Continues

Acuna Jr.’s relationship with the injured list has become more consistent than most people’s morning coffee routine. This latest calf strain was initially misdiagnosed as an Achilles issue and was supposed to keep him out for two to three weeks. He managed to return after a little more than two weeks without even bothering with a rehab assignment. Either the Braves’ medical staff performed a miracle, or someone is getting a bit antsy sitting on the bench while his team struggles.

The 27-year-old missed the first month of the 2025 season recovering from last year’s torn left ACL. Since the start of 2024, Acuna Jr. has appeared in just 104 games. For a player who made history with the first 40-homer, 70-steal season ever, he is spending more time in street clothes than on the diamond lately.

Still Producing When Playing

Here is the thing that makes his constant injury issues even more frustrating. When he is on the field, he is tremendous. In just 55 games this season, he’s slashing .306/.429/.577 with 14 home runs and 26 RBI. His 1.005 OPS would be the second-highest mark of his career if sustained over a full season.

Despite playing in fewer than half of Atlanta’s games, Acuna Jr. ranks second on the team in bWAR (2.6). That is both impressive and deeply depressing, considering what he could accomplish if his body weren’t constantly betraying him. His advanced metrics remain elite when he’s healthy. He is in the 69th percentile for sprint speed and has successfully stolen four out of five bases.

The Braves’ Season Without Their Star

While Acuna Jr. was nursing his latest ailment, Atlanta managed to post an 8-7 record, which isn’t terrible but certainly isn’t inspiring confidence either. The team got solid contributions from Michael Harris II, who hit .371 with 4 home runs during Acuna Jr.’s absence, and Marcell Ozuna, who launched five homers of his own.

The Braves are sitting at 53-68, a whopping 11 games out of the final National League wild card spot. Their streak of seven consecutive postseason appearances is over, barring some kind of miraculous September surge that would make the 2011 Red Sox collapse look like a minor hiccup.

What This Means Moving Forward

The team is being understandably cautious with their injury-prone superstar, especially with their playoff hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads. There is really no point in risking further injury to Acuna Jr. when the season is essentially lost anyway.

Acuna Jr.’s injuries raise some serious questions about his long-term durability. Over the past four seasons, he has played in at least 100 games just twice. For a player who’s supposed to be in his prime, that is concerning. The guy has elite talent, no question about it, but availability is the best ability in professional sports.

The Guardians Series and Beyond

Acuna Jr. will make his return Friday night at 7:10 ET against Cleveland, and Braves fans will undoubtedly hold their breath every time he runs to first base or slides into second. That has become the unfortunate reality of following this team.

The former National League MVP has all the tools to be one of baseball’s most electric players, but his body keeps writing checks his muscles and ligaments can’t cash. When he’s healthy, Acuna Jr. is must-see TV. The problem is that “when he’s healthy” has become a pretty significant qualifier.