The Atlanta Braves are getting Ronald Acuña Jr. back in the lineup tonight against the New York Mets, ending his 38-game absence from the injured list. This is big, no doubt about it. Acuña, who is 28, has been sidelined since June 10 with a strained left hamstring, an injury he picked up running to first base on a ground ball. After a brief rehab stint where he went 6-for-26 with a homer and played three games in right field across their Florida Complex League and Triple-A affiliates, he’s back. To make room, the Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett. Hicklen was putting up a .368/.478/.579 slash line in eight games, which is no joke.
This isn’t Acuña’s first trip to the IL this season, either. He missed 13 games back in May with the *same* left hamstring strain. Think about that: two separate stints this season, both for the exact same issue. He has been limited to just 53 games overall for the Braves this year. In those games, he’s posted a .251/.373/.421 slash line, hitting 7 home runs, 10 doubles, driving in 22 runs, and swiping 15 bases. Decent numbers for sure, but nowhere near the guy we know he can be when healthy.
Here’s the kicker, though, and it’s the part that should really worry Braves fans: with Acuña playing, the Braves are 37-16. That’s a ridiculous win rate. But without him? They’ve struggled, going 25-27. It’s night and day, right? Despite that shaky stretch, the Braves are still leading the National League East by 5.5 games with an overall record of 62-43. That lead is pretty much built on Acuña’s shoulders. And this isn’t a new problem for the former NL MVP. Since winning that award in 2023, he’s missed significant time in each of the last three seasons. In 2024, he tore the ACL in his left knee and played only 49 games. Last season, in 2025, he didn’t even return until mid-May and then battled a back injury and a right calf strain, limiting him to 95 games.
So, while Acuña Jr. is back and ready to face the Mets tonight, the real question is how long he stays healthy this time. His consistent injury issues are becoming a huge problem, not just for him but for the Braves’ chances moving forward. They need him on the field, playing like the MVP he is, not sitting on the IL.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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