The reigning National League MVP is done for the season.
The Atlanta Braves announced Sunday night that outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Acuña underwent an MRI after leaving the Braves’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday with “left knee soreness.” As he took a lead off second base, Acuña broke for third, pivoted back quickly and fell to the ground.
This is the second time in less than three years Acuña has gone down with an ACL injury. He tore his right ACL while playing right field at loanDepot Park on July 10, 2021. The injury cost him a chance to contribute to the Braves’ championship run. He also missed a month at the beginning of his rookie season in 2018 with a minor left ACL sprain.
The Braves have been hit hard with injuries this season. Spencer Strider is out for the season after undergoing an internal brace procedure in his right elbow. Another starter, AJ Smith-Shawver, is out until August with an oblique strain. Austin Riley hasn’t played since May 12 due to a side injury. Sean Murphy has also been out since Opening Day with an oblique strain. Both Riley and Murphy are reportedly expected to be back this week.
Acuña became the first player in major league history to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in his MVP season last year. He batted .337 with a 1.012 OPS and cut his strikeout rate by more than half from 23.6% in 2022 to 11.4%.
The injury is a devastating blow for Acuña, the Braves and MLB. Two ACL tears in three years takes a toll both mentally and physically and there has to be some concern on what this means for the rest of his MLB career.
The Braves will have to move forward without Acuña as they try to catch the Phillies in the NL East race. Adam Duvall and Jarred Kelenic will see more time in the outfield, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos may have to make a trade at the deadline. He famously acquired Duvall, Joc Pederson and Jorge Soler at the trade deadline in 2021 on the way to winning the World Series.
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