Ronald Acuna Jr. is officially back from the injured list, and if you thought the Braves were already rolling, get ready because their 2023 National League MVP is rejoining the lineup. Acuna was out for almost seven weeks battling a left hamstring strain, an injury that’s already benched him for 15 games in May this season. The five-time All-Star is expected to be available for Monday night’s opener of a three-game series against the New York Mets, and you just know the rest of the league is watching.
Acuna’s Return is Huge for the NL Race
This is massive. When Acuña first hit the injured list back on June 9, the Braves were absolutely crushing it, leading the majors with a 45-23 record and holding a dominant eight-game lead in the NL East over Philadelphia. Things got a little shaky for them in June without their superstar, but they’ve clearly found their stride again since the All-Star break. Now, they are sitting pretty at 62-43, with a 5.5-game lead over the second-place Phillies. Even with a shortened season due to injuries, Acuña’s numbers are solid: he’s hitting .251 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and 15 steals. You can’t forget his history with serious knee injuries either, tearing his left ACL in May 2024 and his right ACL midway through 2021. Braves manager Walt Weiss expects him to primarily play right field, his normal spot, after splitting rehab time at designated hitter and in the outfield. To make room, the Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett. This move screams “full steam ahead” for Atlanta.
Cubs Make a Move, Reds Deal With Pain
Meanwhile, other teams are making big roster adjustments. The Chicago Cubs have officially moved on from pitcher Jameson Taillon, designating him for assignment on Monday afternoon. This opened up a roster spot to call up Andrew Wantz. Taillon was with the Cubs for four seasons after signing a hefty four-year, $68 million deal in 2022. This season has been a rough one for him, posting a 2-5 record with a 5.92 ERA in 76 innings pitched. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a pitcher with that kind of contract, and it shows the Cubs are not messing around.
Down in Cincinnati, the Reds are dealing with some pain. They’ve placed infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list with right wrist pain after he fouled a pitch off his bat in Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Steer has been one of their most dynamic hitters, batting .238 with 40 RBIs and 16 home runs in 98 games. Plus, he’s a true utility man, appearing at every outfield position, first, second, and third base. His versatility will be missed. The Reds called up Ivan Johnson from Triple-A Louisville to fill the void. This team is fresh off a road series win against the Cardinals and is now gearing up to face the Cleveland Guardians on Monday for the first of three consecutive home series.
And don’t look now, but the Chicago White Sox are making moves, too. They’re reportedly trading for Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Jose Urquidy, according to Robert Murray. The deal details are still under wraps, but the White Sox are clearly looking to beef up their bullpen as they aim for a push to win the American League Central. Urquidy has had a tough go of it recently with the Pirates, throwing just 6.1 innings with an 8.53 ERA and a 2.68 WHIP in five appearances. They must see something they can fix there.
The next few days are going to be wild. Will Acuna immediately ignite the Braves against the Mets? Can the Reds maintain their momentum without Steer against the Guardians? And what will Urquidy mean for the White Sox’s AL Central dreams? You know we’ll be watching every single pitch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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