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REPORT: Ronald Acuña Jr. is headed to Gwinnett

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated May 14, 2025 8:42 AM ET

Yesterday was an exciting one for Braves Country, as Ronald Acuña Jr. took the field in a live game for the first time in nearly a calendar year as he began his rehab assignment.

However, before Tuesday, it was still unknown what a timeline looked like for the 2023 NL MVP. Now, it’s become much clearer. The Braves held back Ronald Acuña Jr. for a long time, but there seems to be no limitations in his first game back. He played six innings in the outfield to go along with three at-bats, the last of which resulted in a home run.

Third at bat for Ronald Acuna Jr. and he goes yard. His first home run tonight. Just look at his smile!!.
IMO— he’s ready. #Braves #ForTheA #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/Gjl8XbGfHJ

— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) May 13, 2025

Even with a much smaller crowd than he’s used to, Acuña looked like a kid on Opening Day. It was nothing but smiles from ear to ear throughout the evening, which was perfectly encapsulated at the end of the video above as he headed to the dugout following his trot around the bases.

Acuña could probably contribute in some capacity for the Braves today, and fans may not have to wait much longer for that to happen. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the 27-year-old outfielder is headed to AAA Gwinnett, where he will make his next appearance on Thursday.

I imagine that will be a hot ticket for people around the Atlanta area. Yesterday began a 20-day window in which Ronald Acuña Jr. has to be added to the active roster. So, providing everything goes smoothly, he will be back by early June at the latest, but it could be quite a bit sooner than that based on the events from yesterday.

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

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