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Braves Make Final Decision on Ronald Acuna Jr. Trade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin M. Groe | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 11:11 PM ET

Right field superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. has returned from his second ACL tear—this time in his left knee—to play in his eighth major-league season with the Atlanta Braves.

Acuna burst onto the scene during his MLB debut season in 2018, winning National League Rookie of the Year. He established himself as a superstar before tearing his ACL in his right knee in July 2021, yet he came back stronger and won his first NL MVP unanimously in 2023.

In 40 games this season, Acuna is batting .331 with a 1.011 OPS, nine home runs and 18 RBIs—and he’s earned his fifth All-Star selection despite a limited sample of games played.

As the Braves' season has begun to spiral—in the midst of a five-game losing streak—Acuna's name surfaced in trade rumors.

Before Wednesday’s game against the Athletics, multiple general managers who inquired made it clear the Braves have no interest in trading Acuna, nor will they consider any offers for him.

Just to be clear the #Braves have no interest or plans to trade Ronald Acuna, Jr nor will they even consider offers for him according to multiple GMs who have inquired after some various media reports.
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) July 10, 2025

The Braves currently sit at 39–51, a full ten games out of a wild-card spot past the season’s midway point. Their once-dominant rotation has been decimated by injuries to key starters such as 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and Reynaldo Lopez.

Former All-Stars Ozzie Albies and Marcell Ozuna have also been underwhelming, contributing to Atlanta’s struggles.

With such a disappointing first half, Acuna’s name had been a hot topic among MLB analysts—given his injury history and the Braves’ weak farm system—but it now appears he will remain the franchise’s foundational piece for years to come.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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