Braves' Walt Weiss Shares Ronald Acuna Jr. Injury Update Before Dodgers Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated May 8, 2026 9:47 PM ET

The Atlanta Braves are entering their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers owning the best record in the National League at 26-12.

Atlanta fully looks like a contender again after a disastrous 2025 season that saw the club fall short and miss the MLB playoffs. What makes this start even more impressive is that the Braves have done it without Ronald Acuna Jr. performing up to his usual standards.

The 28-year-old right fielder has posted a .252 batting average, .362 on base percentage, .740 OPS, two home runs and nine RBIs across 34 games. He has been caught stealing four times, the most in MLB, which has raised questions about whether his athleticism has declined after multiple ACL tears.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) © Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Acuna's season took an unfortunate turn in early May when he attempted to run out a ground ball against the Colorado Rockies and pulled his left hamstring. He immediately grabbed the back of his leg and was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Fortunately, MRI results were positive and revealed no significant damage. Acuna’s return may also be sooner rather than later. He is first eligible to come off the injured list next Wednesday.

Speaking with reporters before Friday’s game, manager Walt Weiss said Acuna still has a few boxes to check, but he was seen on the field doing agility work. That suggests that even if he does not return the moment he is eligible, his absence should not be a long one (h/t Mark Bowman of MLB.com).

Acuña coming off the IL when eligible on Wednesday seems optimistic. When asked, Weiss said Ronald still has some boxes to check. That being said, the fact he was doing some agility work today indicates his IL stint shouldn't be too long.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) May 9, 2026

This is good news for Atlanta, which could separate itself from the rest of the league if Acuna returns and begins producing at his superstar level.

Across nine seasons, Acuna has collected the National League Rookie of the Year award, an MVP during his historic 40-home run and 70-stolen base season, five All-Star selections and three Silver Sluggers.

If Acuna comes back healthy and locked in, the Braves ceiling becomes even higher than it already is.

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

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