TODAY: Acuna is day-to-day after an MRI “revealed a mild abdominal strain,” the Braves announced via Twitter.
APRIL 18: 9:50PM: Acuna has an abdominal strain, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (Twitter link). A decision about an injured list placement will come tomorrow.
7:48PM: Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. left tonight’s game against the Cubs in the fourth inning “due to pain in his lower abdominal muscles,” the team announced.
Acuna drew a walk to begin the fourth inning, and then “appeared to tweak something” (as per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian) while diving back to the bag on a pickoff attempt. After advancing to second base on a Freddie Freeman walk, Acuna was visited by the Braves trainer but remained in the game, and later had to dive across the plate to score on a Travis d’Arnaud fly ball. For the bottom of the fourth, Ehire Adrianza took Acuna’s spot in right field and Johan Camargo entered the game to take over for Adrianza at second base.
More will be known about Acuna’s status after he undergoes tests, but needless to say, both Atlanta fans and the entire baseball world at large are holding their breath that the injury is a minor one. After establishing himself as one of the sport’s best players in his first three MLB seasons, Acuna is already drawing NL MVP buzz after hitting an extraordinary .419/.486/.887 with seven home runs over his first 72 plate appearances.
Should Acuna have to miss any time, he’ll join fellow outfielders Cristian Pache and Ender Inciarte on the injured list. The shorthanded Braves still have Marcell Ozuna in left field, but might have to rely on some combination of Guillermo Heredia, Adrianza, Camargo, or Austin Riley to handle the other two outfield positions in the interim. Atlanta does have several experienced options at its alternate training site (including Phil Ervin, Abraham Almonte, and Terrance Gore), as well as top prospect Drew Waters.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
On that exact same play Acuna got injured on Sunday Night Baseball I actually cracked up for a totally different. reason. Anthony Rizzo was mic’d up and had Freddie Freeman caught in a pickle run-down. While Freeman was trying to run away Rizzo kept saying, “Fredrick! Freddie!!!!!!” Was I the only person who thought that was hilarious? Here’s an ESPN link to the 21 second video clip if anyone wants to watch it again: espn.com/video/clip/clip?id=31286392
Love to see them having a good time.
Dang. Heal up quick, young man! That team needs you more than any team team needs a player.
Hope he doesn’t miss much time but it doesn’t look like the Braves are missing him tonight.
Acuna is great for the Braves but they still have reigning MVP Freeman, Ozuna and Albies Pretty sure Soto is way more important to the Nationals…
Well soto isn’t as good as Acuña and the nationals are my pick to finish last in the East so idk. I guess you could say they are clinging to Soto while ATL has freeman and Ozuna as well. But ATL isn’t a true World Series contender with Acuña sitting on the sidelines
“Soto isn’t as good as Acuna”. That’s not true at all. Soto isn’t as hot as Acuna is to start the year, but he is as good as Acuna.
No not near as much speed not as strong of an arm not nearest good in the outfield not near as good on the fielding or running the bases
@bush1 Soto is just as good as Acuna when it comes to hitting (for average), maybe a little better right now. Time will tell on that. But Acuna has more power, speed, is a better defensive right fielder and has a better arm. So no….Soto is not as good of an overall baseball player as Acuna.
He’ll never be as good as Acoona, EVVEEERRRR!!!!
Have injuries been this prevent in baseball say, 20 or even 30 years ago?
This year has been horrible. So many injuries. Something is not right.
This year?
It gets worse every year for the past 30.
This is what happens when every single game is managed like the 7th game of the World Series. Guys diving to stop meaningless singles in the early innings, etc.
If track and horse racing were run like this, every single runner and horse would be sprinting out of the box trying to go at top speed – and many of them would be falling off to the side long before the stretch run even started.
The Yuppie MBA’s with their silly stats have totally ruined the game and most of its players. Say what you will about the legendary owners of the early 20th century to the late 60’s – they would never have allowed this sort of play. They had investments in players, and they wanted them healthy.
I’m impressed you managed to fit that many stupid takes in only a short paragraph
Samuel
The Yuppie MBA’s with their silly stats have totally ruined the game and most of its players.
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1-Are you sure it keeps getting worse every year? Do you have some stats to back that up, or does it just ‘feel’ that way to you?
2-Statistics have ruined the players? You might need to to explain that a bit. I’ve created statistics for my annual drafts, and didn’t realizing any players were getting hurt because of it.
Past that, your analogy is ridiculous. You cannot compare a race to a BB game. If you are running a 40-meter, you sprint 100%. For a 100-meter, maybe 98%. If you are running a mile, you might sprint the last 50 yards. Same with horses. In baseball, you rarely sprint.
@ JoeBrady;
LOL
Yes, you and the other guy got me there.
There is “no evidence” that anything out of the ordinary happened. Everything’s just ducky. Playing MLB is just like rotisserie baseball.
Got it.
so like for example tatis’s bad swing is somehow due to yuppie MBA’s? I guess you are saying the biggest problem with the state of play is that it is too good and guys should try less? I mean it sounds like you are an over the hill high school jock who just wants kids off your lawn.
“ Say what you will about the legendary owners of the early 20th century to the late 60’s – they would never have allowed this sort of play. They had investments in players, and they wanted them healthy.”
Those owners paid the players peanuts, and if they got injured, they got cut. Owners are much more invested in players now, because they are highly marketable commodities.
As long as you admit that you made the claim without any evidence, all is well. One of the problems in this country is that too many people ‘feel’ that xyz is a major problem, but have absolutely no idea whether or not it’s true.
recency bias…
Guys haven’t trained properly for nearly 18 months. The injury bug will hit every team this year at different times, some more than others.
It’s only a matter of time before someone suffers a season ending injury tying his shoe. It’s out of control.
Agree! Are these guys just being cautious because they make soo much money or just a bunch of sissys? Just asking for a friend who actually cares about baseball any more.
Jimbobroy
Agree! Are these guys just being cautious because they make soo much money or just a bunch of sissys?
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Well, I’m probably just stoopid enough to run into the brick wall. But if I were in a walk year, and my shoulder or elbow hurt, I’d really have to think about whether or not I was going to play that night.
test
I see you Tim!
my fantasy team wishes you a quick recovery. especially with springer coming up with creative excuses to not work this year
Mine too as he was my Keeper. Need him in the lineup
The world is falling apart on the Braves and somehow we are still keeping it together with results (minus yesterday lol). I don’t think this will be too serious, little rest and should be fine. AA needs to do something about the bench and depth though. Literally running out of options lol
I hope Acuna doesn’t miss much time. Regardless of whether you are a Braves fan or not, as a baseball fan you should want to see what Acuna is capable of over a full season at this point. He is a certainly a special talent.
I was watching the game. It looked like he banged up his lower torso diving back to first, and then added insult to injury by sliding across home plate.
I think he hurt himself while at bat on the swing he took on the 2nd to last pitch prior the to the base on ball. He took a big swing and fouled the pitch of the ground near his front leg. He grimaced and hoped on one foot but closer examination shows the ball didn’t hit him. Then he walked around in pain but didn’t limp on his foot. He took a walk on the next pitch. I believe he pulled or strained the abdominal muscle on that swing.
Yup, it’s a lot more likely that he pulled an abdominal muscle during a swing. That makes more sense, than sliding back to first.
“……..and the entire baseball world at large are holding their breath that the injury is a minor one.”
That’s a bit extreme.
Yeah I don’t wish injury on anyone but I’m not holding my breath for him lol. I’ll sleep fine today.
Yea, as a Mets, I’m not holding my breath for even a split second. However, I wish him well, but not a speedy recovery.
“ However, I wish him well, but not a speedy recovery.”
That’s cold.
Hopefully it’s bad gas
I think he hurt his nuts.
Honestly, I thought he landed on his cup…
He’s an outfielder. I doubt he used one.
Of course Atlanta is about to play the NYY next. AL Injury Champs vs NL Injury Champs
Let the wheel chair wars begin!
If $’s on the IL was what won championships Yanks would be in the middle of another dynasty.
well at least they have the GOAT in CF now.
I don’t know who root for. The Yankees or Braves lol.
@metsfan22
I understand why you don’t like the braves, but how come Mets fans hate the Yankees so much?
It’s an inferiority complex.
Dr. Bryse Wilson said Acuna’s condition is not a “strain.”
Hold our breath about what? this is just another thing to pile on everything else.
Proper load management might have spared him from this catastrophic debacle.
Come on, man. Load management less than 20 games into the season? Cal Ripken, Jr. says hello. These guys should all be able to play 150+ games per year.
If Acuna’s hurting himself on a slide it has zero to do with load management.
Might be a injury due to all that gold he wears . What a joke. Glad Bobby Cox didn’t have to deal with it.
I’m glad YOU don’t have to “deal with it.”
Right I wouldn’t!
Of course you wouldn’t have to deal with it. Dice 66? What’s the worst thing that happens to you while you’re playing Warhammer? Someone loses control of their dice and you get plunked in the head? =))
Dude is the hottest player in MLB and almost single-handedly carrying the Braves while almost every other Braves player not wearing gold hits under the Mendoza line? Bobby Cox didn’t deal with Deion Sanders? Hmm…let the kids play.
Ignore Dice. He’s just a troll.
The baseball world isn’t holding their breathe, in fact many of us could care less lol
*couldn’t
In fact, you care so little you took the time to scroll through the comments and post about it. Way to show’em!
He’s very passionate about not caring. =)
Put him on the IL, he’s headed toward an MVP caliber season. Don’t do what you did last year with his wrist.
Can’t have a possible MVP missing time if he doesn’t need too
I do Santeria prayer and the lord blessed Acuna now he is good.
Relieved it is minor!