Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. departed his team’s 8-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday with an apparent left knee injury.
Acuna was pulled from the game following the 1st inning after it appeared as though his knee buckled while running. The 26 year old was spotted in the clubhouse sporting a knee brace following the contest, and will undergo an MRI later Sunday evening to determine the extent of the injury.
“I got scared a lot because I felt the pain in the beginning,” Acuna told reporters via a translator. “Hopefully, everything is going to go well.”
After exiting, Adam Duvall shifted from left to right with Jarred Kelenic entering the game to play left field. Kelenic finished the day 3-for-4 in place of Acuna, and will likely see extended playing time moving forward. Regardless of the outcome of the MRI, it’s possible the Braves place Acuna Jr. on the 10 day IL out of an abundance of caution.
At 30-20, Atlanta sits 6 games back of the NL East leading Philadelphia Phillies. Acuna Jr. is having a down year by his standards as the reigning NL MVP, but nevertheless plays an outsized role in the Braves’ offence.
Through 191 at bats in 2024, Acuna Jr. is hitting .246 with 4 home runs, 38 runs scored, 15 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. The Braves are next in action against the Washington Nationals on Monday afternoon.
Photo: Ian D’Andrea. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.