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Initial tests on Ronald Acuña Jr. are promising

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 11:40 AM ET

According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, preliminary tests on Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Achilles revealed that there is no reason to believe he has a significant injury. The Braves will still conduct an MRI today to be sure, but they are optimistic that he won’t miss much time.

Acuña’s discomfort is in the upper Achilles/lower right calf region. Preliminary tests provided no reason to believe he has a significant injury. Today’s MRI will verify if this is true. If results match current expectations, there’s a chance Acuña could play again in 2-3 weeks

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 30, 2025

Obviously, this is outstanding news, and hopefully, the MRI allows everybody to let out a sigh of relief. However, if I’m the Braves, I’m not sure I’m rushing Acuña back out there at all, let alone in 2-3 weeks.

This season is over, and it’s not like Acuña has a track record of staying healthy. He’s injury prone, and the Braves need to treat him like that. Sore calves and Achilles are a sign that something is wrong, and pushing those injuries can lead to a far more serious issue. We see it all the time in the NBA, most recently with Tyrese Haliburton, who played through a calf injury and tore his Achilles in the very next game.

It might be a different sport, but Ronald Acuña Jr. only knows one speed. The Braves need to protect him from himself. They’re luck enough to get a second chance, and they better not screw it up.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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