July 30: The Braves announced this morning that Acuña has been placed on the injured list and that Kelenic has been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.
July 29: The Braves are losing another star to the injured list. Ronald Acuña Jr. is headed to the 10-day IL after making an early exit from tonight’s loss in Kansas City, the team told reporters (including David O’Brien of The Athletic). The club announced the injury as right Achilles tightness. Mark Bowman of MLB.com observed that the former MVP was in a walking boot postgame.
It’s the latest hit in an utter disaster of a season. The Braves are 16 games under .500. They’re almost certainly going to trade Raisel Iglesias and Marcell Ozuna in the next two days. Acuña had been one of the few bright spots. The superstar outfielder is hitting .306/.429/.577 with 14 homers in 55 games since returning from his second ACL tear. He’s now headed back to the IL, where he joins Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes and AJ Smith-Shawver.
This shouldn’t have any impact on the team’s deadline plans. The Braves are long buried in the playoff race, so their impending free agents were getting dealt regardless. They obviously weren’t going to entertain offers on Acuña. The team will provide a timeline after he goes for further testing in the next few days. There’s no reason to take any chances with another lower body injury for the face of the franchise in a lost season.
Eli White finished tonight’s game in right field. He’ll probably get the majority of the playing time. The Braves have Jarred Kelenic and Carlos Rodríguez as depth outfielders on the 40-man roster. Kelenic is batting .217 in Triple-A and trending towards a non-tender. The 24-year-old Rodríguez, who signed a split deal as a minor league free agent last offseason, carries a .276/.348/.347 line over 82 Triple-A contests. He has never appeared in the big leagues.
Just can him for the rest of the season!!
I agree to rest Acuna for the rest of the season. Atlanta is not making the post-season. I do not think he is the guy who will be injured almost all of his career. Rather, he is a valuable but risky guy who should be shut down in 2025 so he can likely star in 2026.
Yeah. Every fan that bought a ticket to home game doesn’t deserve to see Acuna. That’s some nba/mls stuff.
“I paid for a ticket, so you have to risk you your health for my entertainment.” You def don’t sound entitled or anything.
RE PP77, MP, MLBTop100, MM
Comment sections are so absurd
If the Braves, on the advice of team doctors, believe that playing further this season is a significant risk to Acuna, then they should put him on the IL until that risk subsides.
If they do not believe that, then Acuna should play because 1) he almost certainly wants to and 2) baseball is a product for the fans and teams should put forward the best product.
@philliesphan – Just take a look at his username, and then one realizes that there can be nothing but stupidity as a result.
@carverandrews, says the person with your username?? Yours is worse than mine. So, we are just to assume an injury should be worthy of shutting someone down the entire season?
Get a life and stop polishing your coque.
@MPC – Case in point, as your response makes zero sense. What does an actual name have to do with your choice of a derogatory and insulting take on one of the writers on here?
Seriously – you are a waste of space. Go away little boy.
I’m a metal artist, named mark. And your username is still disgusting. Seek help
Funny – I know a couple of guys that are really good artists that work in your medium. Terrific guys and great conversationalists; fun to have a beer with them.
You clearly have ingested too many chemicals over time and fail to represent their artisan fellowship well. Again – go away little boy.
Again, with your username constantly mentioning “little boys”. Seek help “Carver Andrews”
I’m muting all 3 of you
Carvel, as a Braves fan, I can say that’s an awful take. When you buy a ticket, you’re buying a ticket to see the team- they never guarantee you who is going to be on the field that day. Find me somewhere on the ticket that it says you paid to see Ronald Acuna Jr.
He’s hurt, it’s a lost season- there is nothing more lost by erring on the side of caution. He never should have been playing yesterday, unfortunately the manager and training staff didn’t understand that, so they left the decision to him. And sentiments like you expressed are why he was never going to sit with the decision in his hands.
If you don’t like it, plenty of options to sell your tickets.
Wait til this guy learns about football, hockey or combat sports.
I’ll admit my ignorance in advance…who is Carver Andrews irl and why are you connecting “little boys” to them?
That’s an odd statement “hes not the guy to be injured most of his career….”
Doesn’t it make more sense that the more elite the player, the MORE likely he is to get significantly injured? Acuna, Shoei, Trout, Judge and all these Ace pitchers, they are pushing their bodies’ natural limits, WAY past the norm.
I agree with your agreement. Atlanta is not going anywhere just put an end to his season already!! Make it happen MLB Top 100 Commenter!!
He is rapidly becoming the next Mike Trout.
Braves20
Mike Trout is near the end of a hall of fame career that could have been much more but for health issues. If that is what is ahead for Ronald Acuna, both he and Atlanta cannot complain too much.
How’s the draft lottery going to work? Rockies and white Sox got moved down last year are they back in the lottery this year? In a perfect world the braves win the lottery hopefully. Don’t wanna see the Rockies or white Sox win it.
I think Acuna is heading down the Eric Davis “what might have been” path instead of the Hall of Fame path. Hope I am wrong because he is fun to watch, but it just doesn’t seem like his body can hold up to the rigors of playing Major League Baseball over a HOF-length career.
What a pull. Eric Davis was an amazing player and very fun to watch.
Perfect take as both are electrifying players that have had serious health issues.
Ozuna to Texas is close
Be careful what you wish for.
Perfect addition! He can platoon DH with another guy who forgot how to hit in 2025.
Not close enough
This dude is always hurt. They probably should think about trading him in the offseason. I think he’s only signed for a couple more seasons and this Braves team won’t be competitive in that window.
The Braves have him under team control through 2029.
…..actually he’s under control via contract for 2026 and team options for 27 and 28. So, he’s under team control through 2028, not 2029.
Jeff and I told them to sign Tauchman for 2m. Instead they went Profar Verdugo. Listen to us and they shouldn’t have any windows and can contend most years.
Lol, I was thinking about Tauchman yesterday while I was watching Profar butcher catchable balls in left field. I try not to think about Verdugo anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.
Terrible take, Lou.
That “dude” is the best player on the team, and one of the best in the game- you don’t trade players like that when they’re signed to team friendly deals. I’d go so far as to say if they did something that boneheaded, I’d find a different team to root for or quit baseball altogether. Luckily, they’re smarter than that.
You didn’t even research how long his contract runs for before spouting off such an absurd take.
and TRADE him! His MVP season will never be replicated. He will be a 1st Ballot Greatest that Never Was HOFer..
“and TRADE him..His MVP season”…I actually don’t know Acuna’s contractual situation, but if you trade him now, you’re trading an MVP level player for pennies on the dollar.
When healthy, you can ask for a “Soto” return, so in my opinion you have to let him regain health and productivity before you even consider trading him
Especially with a potential Achilles injury, that is usually only one thing and it’s not good.
Ozuna to Kansas City and his lookalike can go with him to hang out with the Pasquatch!
AI BE DAMNED
It just never ends. Past 2 seasons have been excruciatingly painful.
Probably got hurt doing his 18 celebrations while rounding the bases. I’m all for celebrating but his antics are little over the top. He does like a bat flip, grenade toss, wing flap, euro step, and the hand/ heart kiss.
He got hurt scoring from first base on a bases clearing double. Said he tweaked something when he crossed the plate.
I never root for anyone to get hurt, but Acuna is impossible to like. He doesn’t respect the game of baseball.
We really need a downvote option around here for people like you
Like most things, the celebrations aren’t for everybody, but they are for some people, and they exist. The game’s visual aesthetics have evolved from a time (not so long ago) when wild and crazy Ben Zobrist wasn’t allowed to even wear plain black cleats as a Cub.
Just because you’re not into them doesn’t mean you’re necessarily boring, they’re just not for you. Different people (and cultures) have different styles of playing the ball, and I think it’s nice that we get to experience more of them instead of less, including both the jazzy ones AND the “boring” ones:)
I enjoy the celebrations.
I understand they’re not for everyone, and that’s fine. As fans, we’re all different; much the same way players are all different. You’re entitled to your opinion.
I’ll say this though: I sort of question people as a person that question people as a person simply because they enjoy celebrations. That feels… veiled.
That sucks he is fun to watch
Now they are saying that Ronald informed the coaching staff that he was felt discomfort in that area in Monday’s game. That was yesterday. But the coaching staff obliged to let him play 6 innings today. Acuna said he felt bad for the time he has missed and wanted to keep playing and the coaches let him?? You could tell from the foul ball call that was overturned on, he was jogging, not running, awkwardly. If he needs surgery, the entire coaching should be fired for allowing him to play through that. All this so Braves lifer Snitker can keep managing with what, dignity? How many more players can he destroy this season alone?
Cancel everyone, including AA.
Firing Alex won’t make a difference when the owner, Terry McGuirk, operates the same.
Drew, you’re right Acuña did inform the coaching staff about the injury on Monday. It was the coaching staff who told Ronald to take Tuesday off. Acuna felt bad for missing so much time that he told the coaching staff he wanted to play. If he injured his Achilles more by playing on it last night that’s on him.
The entire coaching staff IS going to be fired. Nothing happening now is going to change that AA? Probably has this offseason to correct the mess he made. And McJerk better let him
Brian Snitker is a disease
Buxton of the NL!
But better than Buxton
And on a better contract than Darren Dreifort.
has one more World Series Ring than Buxton
oops, never mind he was injured & he didn’t go to the WS
You’re right on both counts. He was injured and didn’t play in the 2021 WS, but he does have a ring. Every player who occupied time on the 2021 roster got one.
Down goes Glass Joe!
Hurt it over celebrating that 460 foot homer.
This from a Cubs fan who celebrates the antics of PCA. Btw—-I don’t have a problem w/how PCA reacts to his great plays. Just laughable to see you trolling Acuna for celebrating his.
Laughable that you automatically think I enjoy PCA’s antics.
These comments are laughable.
If you happened to watch Mondays game he hurt it when Austin cleared the bases and he stretched out to hit home plate and that’s when it got Hurt.
As I expected. Mike Trout Jr. at it again….
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/the-opener-acuna-as-nlc…
mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/braves-expected-to-acti…
Guy just can’t stay on the field.
Dang MLB the Show makes a 99 Acuna for the Speedway Classic and he won’t get to play
Atlanta just plucked Fedde off fhe scrap heap. Maybe they can get him back up and running as a long reliever/5th starter? San Diego has a history of picking up ancient DH’s. If Ozuna ends up with the Padres, whom do you think ATL gets back? One AA prospect and Randy Vasquez?
Ozuna ha no value in trade. He can’t hit. He’s overpaid. You’re fetching a so so prospect who won’t be protected on the 40 man roster at the time of the Rule 5 draft. Think #35 on the Rangers Top 30 prospect list.
He does have one helluva backswing, however, if you require some baseball justice on an opposing catcher.
Can’t hit? He’s homered in the last 2 games in a pitching-friendly ballpark. Even in a slump he’ll get on-base, as his OBP has been towards the top in the league the last 2 years. He’s been injured much of the first half. If he’s healthy now, that’s a mid-order bat most teams can use for not much in return. Especially TEX that’s relying on Joc Pederson a bit too much for comfort.
Bummer. He’s easily one of the top 5 position players in MLB(Judge, Ohani, Witt and maybe Lindor, Ramirez, and ?) ok, top 10 position players in MLB, and when healthy(massive caveat applied here) is really fun to watch. But yeah, the Eric Davis reference is looking pretty close right now. If you weren’t old enough, prime Davis had to be seen to be believed; like the 2nd coming of Willie Mays.
It’s time to make Acuña a full time DH. Not a good defender anyway but for the Braves to have a chance they need his bat in the lineup 150+ games a year and I don’t think that happens with him playing in the field anymore.
This was a baserunning injury.
Looks like Kelenic may soon get one more last chance.
Sure looked like his last chance was when they kicked him out of Seattle. This chance just seems to be coincidence cause of IL placement. AA was probably hoping, praying that Kelenics name wasn’t the last name out of the hat.
They can use Luke Williams as a fourth OF and bring up an Inf or get a fourth OF type in a trade. No want Kelenic or the Rodriquez chap.
Really hope he avoids a serious Achilles injury. He means so much to this team that it’s safe to wonder if the braves just rest him for a little more this year because they aren’t in contention. I know Ronald is a big competitor, but sometimes, you just gotta do what is best for your health.
Made of glass. Sucks to see it happen over and over.
I’d rest him the remainder of the way. On top of that, I’d try Baldwin in the outfield just to see if there’s any hope there. Nothing to lose.
C’mon, man! Transition a catcher to OF…? We need him at catcher, despite not having enough OF. There’s a lot more OF to fill that need than there is to find a competent C that we’d need. The roster doesn’t need another Chadwick Tromp as a backup seeing more than garbage time and travel day play.
Acuna is going to have to be a full time DH before age 30… shame this guy can’t stay healthy.
Acuna is becoming a “what might have been”.
In 7 seasons (excluding 2020 COVID) he has played 150+ games twice..
It’s really too bad.
Let “Ronnie” swing the bat and circle the bases in the bullpen cart 🤣
I guess we will find out what Kelenic can do after a lengthy demotion.
It’s double-barreled bad news. Acuna to the IL for who knows how long, and Kelenic getting called up.