Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. Makes Career Announcement on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Jan 29, 2026 2:23 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves are primed to be one of MLB’s biggest bounce back teams in 2026, and it is easy to understand why. Not only did Atlanta’s front office address every weakness the team had this winter, but the Braves also feature one of the most exciting cores in baseball headlined by right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr.

The 28‑year‑old superstar has built an accomplished list of individual accolades throughout his first eight seasons.

Acuna became the first player to ever record a 40‑home‑run, 70‑stolen‑base season in 2023, earning his first National League MVP Award for his efforts.

He has also collected five All‑Star selections, three Silver Slugger Awards and his first NL Comeback Player of the Year honor in 2025.

Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As Acuna continues preparing for the upcoming season, hoping to reclaim some of the speed and defensive range he lost while recovering from his second ACL tear, he has stayed active by participating in the Venezuelan Winter League.

With the World Baseball Classic scheduled for March, his potential involvement became a major storyline, especially given his injury history and the Braves’ desire to keep him healthy.

Acuna made his decision official on Thursday, announcing on Instagram that he will represent Team Venezuela in the international tournament for the first time in his professional career. He shared the news in a joint post on Tuesday when Venezuela finalized its roster.

View this post on Instagram

This decision adds another layer of excitement to his offseason as he continues building toward Opening Day. With the international tournament approaching, Acuna will look to use the WBC as valuable fine‑tuning against elite competition, and the event will not affect his MLB availability.

In 2025, he posted a .290 batting average, .417 on‑base percentage, .935 OPS, 21 home runs and 42 RBIs across 95 games, showing that even while limited, he remained one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport.

If Acuna enters 2026 fully healthy and regains the explosiveness that once made him the most dynamic player in baseball, the Braves will have every reason to believe they can return to the top of the National League.

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

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