
Getty Image / Justin Berl
The Atlanta Braves are arguably the best team in baseball, and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is their talisman as one of the best players in baseball.
But, they will be without their superstar for the remainder of the season after a freak injury on Sunday resulted in a torn ACL.
Acuña was leading off second base in the Braves game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday when disaster struck. Take a look.
Ronald Acuña Jr. exits the game due to a non-contact injury on the bases. pic.twitter.com/RHZCJ9ldBe
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) May 26, 2024
How does that even happen? Non-contact ACL injuries are pretty common, especially in football. But, I can’t remember a baseball player getting hurt like that off the top of my head.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time he’s torn his ACL in his career. The first time, it was his right knee that gave out. That time, it was a situation that one could expect may lend itself to injury.
Just hours after the game, the Braves confirmed that Ronald Acuña Jr. would miss the rest of the season.
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. tonight underwent an MRI that revealed a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee. He is set to undergo surgery at a date yet to be determined and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 27, 2024
He already apologized to the team’s fans, who surely do not hold any resentment towards their superstar.
Sorry💔😪
— Ronald Acuña Jr. (@ronaldacunajr24) May 27, 2024
Acuña Jr. is one of the most talented players we’ve seen in years. But, it seems like we’ve been robbed of a few prime years of this incredible talent.
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s age-22 through age-26 seasons:
2020: COVID season
2021: Torn ACL
2022: Limited by ACL recovery
2023: Wins MVP
2024: Torn ACLDevastating.
— Zach Dillard (@Zach_Dillard) May 27, 2024
As for the Braves, this is a huge blow. Yes, they did win the World Series in 2021 after Acuña got hurt. But, that team had a lot of assets to make moves with, like the trade that acquired outfielder Adam Duvall. Their depth in the outfield was key to overcoming Acuña’s injury.
They don’t have those advantages this year, unfortunately. They will probably make the playoffs, and are in a good spot through the first two months of the season at 30-20. But, it’s hard to see this team making a run deep into October without him.
They did win on Sunday, 8-1.