Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Braves organization were dealt a devastating blow on Sunday night, when they learned the news that he will undergo season-ending knee surgery for the second time in less than 36 months.
An MRI exam revealed Acuna suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the first inning of Sunday’s 8-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. The reigning National League MVP will be forced to endure the same long, demanding rehab process that followed him tearing the ACL in his right knee midway through the 2021 campaign.
“I hate it for the young men that it affects more than us,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said when asked about the significant injuries some of his stars have suffered this year. “These guys love to play the game. When something like this happens, I hate it.”
Acuna caused an immediate hush over the crowd and scare when he yelled out in excruciating pain and fell into the infield grass between second and third base. He took a big secondary lead and made a move toward third as catcher Joey Bart threw the ball back to pitcher Martín Pérez. His left knee appeared to buckle before he fell to the ground.
“I saw the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher very slow,” Acuna said. “I was timing that so I could steal third. But in that moment, he threw it hard. So, I had to come back, and that’s when I felt it.”
Acuna suffering a second significant knee injury at 26 years old is heartbreaking to the baseball community at large. The Braves right fielder has been one of the game’s most electrifying players going back six years to 2018, when he was named the National League’s Rookie of the Year. His elite talents were displayed again last year, when he was named NL MVP after becoming the first player to ever hit 40-plus homers and accumulate 70-plus stolen bases in the same season.
“You never want to see anybody on any side of the field do that,” Sale said. “He’s a big part of this team. He’s one of the best players in the game.”
Acuna has hit 165 long balls, collected 196 stolen bases and produced a .903 OPS in his career. He is in a club all by himself, being the only player in MLB history to hit 145-plus homers, steal 190-plus bases and have an OPS of at least .900 through his age 26-year season.
Making this even more remarkable is the fact that he was on the shelf for a month in 2018 after bursting onto the scene, making his MLB debut a few weeks after Opening Day. He was limited to 46 games during the 2020 COVID season and played 82 games prior to tearing his ACL two days before the 2021 All-Star break. His production was still at the elite level as he attempted to trusting and regaining confidence in the knee in 2022.
With the help of Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ great Trade Deadline acquisitions, the Braves overcame Acuna’s absence in 2021 and won the World Series. This certainly was not a challenge they wanted to find themselves in again.
Embed from Getty ImagesAdam Duvall could replace Acuna as the Braves’ everyday right fielder. So instead of platooning with Duvall, Jarred Kelenic could now become the everyday left fielder. Michael Harris II will stay in center field. Forrest Wall seems to be the most likely roster replacement. Wall has hit .306 with four homers and a .912 OPS in 132 plate appearances for Triple-A Gwinnett.
This season-ending injury just added to the frustration and disappointment Acuna has experienced throughout the early part of 2024. His numbers were down, hitting .250 with a .716 OPS and only 13 extra-base hits on the season. But four of those extra-base hits, including Sunday’s leadoff two-bagger, were tallied within his past 31 at-bats.
Acuna could be ready to go at the start of 2025. But there is evidence that the first year back from this crushing injury is tough both mentally and physically. And he will now have to prove he can still be at the top of his game with two surgically repaired knees.
