Ronald Acuña Jr. ready to return to the Atlanta Braves in 2025
Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is preparing for his 2025 season debut, the team announced. Acuña Jr. has been out of action for almost a full season due to a torn ACL.
The injury to the left knee occurred on May 26, 2024, during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 2023 National League MVP underwent surgery on June 6.
Acuña Jr. began his rehabilitation in the minor leagues last week, where he showed great performance, batting .400 with two home runs and two RBIs in 15 at-bats during six games.
The Braves will begin a three-game home series against the San Diego Padres on Friday, marking the possible return of Acuña Jr.
Before his injury, Acuña Jr. had a season with a batting average of .250, with four home runs, 15 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases in 49 games.
In 2023, Acuña was the unanimous MVP, hitting 41 home runs and stealing a record 73 bases in the league, being the first 40-70 season in MLB history. He batted .337 and led the majors with 149 runs scored, 217 hits, and an on-base percentage of .416.
This historic campaign came two years after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on July 10, 2021, which caused him to miss the rest of that season.
Since his debut in the Major Leagues in 2018, at the age of 20, Acuña has batted .289 with an on-base percentage of .379, a slugging percentage of .525, 165 home runs, 417 RBIs, and 196 stolen bases in 722 games over seven seasons. He is a four-time All-Star.
