Braves Star Ronald Acuña Jr. Done for the Year With Torn ACL

Ronald Acuña Jr. won’t play another game in 2024.

The Atlanta Braves right fielder suffered a devastating injury on the bases during Sunday’s contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. He tore the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his left knee, an injury that will require surgery and a long, unpredictable rehab process before the reigning MVP is back to full strength.

Acuña was off to a somewhat slow start in 2024, at least by his own remarkable standards. His 110 wRC+ was still above league average, but a far cry from his 170 wRC+ in 2023. Similarly, his 16 stolen bases (third-most in the NL) were impressive, but well off the pace compared to his 73 steals last year.

Nonetheless, the four-time All-Star was still tracking for a 3.9-WAR season, per FanGraphs, and it was hard to imagine his bat wouldn’t have started to heat up eventually. Even in a down year, Acuña is one of the better players in the game.

Now, unfortunately, baseball fans in Atlanta and around the world will be robbed of his talent for the rest of the season.

Due to a minor wrist injury and the pandemic-shortened schedule, Acuña was limited to just 47 games in 2020. The following year, a right ACL tear ended his season in July. While he was back on the field for most of 2022, he clearly wasn’t at full strength as he continued to recover from his knee surgery.

At his best, Acuña is a game-changing talent. His 2023 MVP campaign was one of the greatest all-around seasons in recent memory. Yet, he has not had nearly enough opportunities to put that talent on full display.

Acuña’s injury is a major loss for the game at large, but needless to say, the blow is toughest for the Braves. With June fast approaching, Atlanta finds itself in an unusual position: second place in the NL East, six games back of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Braves entered the season as heavy favorites in the division, and they might still be the best team on paper. That said, a six-game deficit nearly one-third of the way into the season is a sizeable hole. This team can certainly stage a comeback, but that’s going to be harder without Acuña and ace Spencer Strider.

Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall, who were previously platooning in left field, will presumably become the full-time corner outfielders. Duvall, the more experienced outfielder of the two, is likely to take over in right field, although Kelenic’s powerful throwing arm might be a stronger replacement for Acuña’s cannon.

Ultimately, however, it’s silly to talk about anyone “replacing” Acuña. It simply can’t be done.

Barring a setback, Ronald Acuña Jr. should be ready to play by the start of the 2025 season. His last ACL tear kept him out for nine and a half months. That same schedule would put him on track to return next March.

However, it’s much harder to guess when he’ll be back to his old self. Healthy knees are essential for stealing bases, hitting home runs, and making strong throws. If his down year in 2022 is any indication, we sadly might not see the real Acuña again until 2026.