Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was forced out of Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox in the 4th inning due to an apparent hamstring issue. While the team is currently labelling it “left hamstring tightness”, Acuna Jr. could be seen in visible pain as he attempted to beat out a throw at 1st base.
When the 28 year old returned to the dugout, he was caught by cameras slamming his helmet before being replaced by Eli White.
“It doesn’t seem as bad as the last one,” Manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “So we’re not [putting him on the IL] right now. He’s day-to-day and is going to get an MRI. Then we’ll go from there, but it’s not terrible.”
While Weiss is being cautiously optimistic that a trip to the injured list can be avoided, given Acuna’s recent injury history, the team could choose to slow-play his return to action. Between season ending ACL tears in 2021 and 2024, the talented outfielder has been limited to just 557 games since capturing MVP honours in 2020.
The length of Acuna’s absence won’t be known until the team sees how his body responds to treatment, but it’s likely that his series with the White Sox is now over. That ends what was supposed to be a special couple of days in the Acuna household as Ronald’s brother Luisangel plays for Chicago.
Prior to the game, the brothers exchanged scorecards at home plate, but that would be the extent of the memories made for the series as Acuna went down shortly thereafter.
“The first time we shared the lineups, played the first game in a new city,” Ronald told reporters. “I’m disappointed because I don’t know how I can play tomorrow and the next day. But always giving him many blessings.”
When asked how his leg felt after the contest, the former MVP said “This is a little more easy…I don’t feel any pain, I just feel a little bit tight. So we’ll see what the MRI says tomorrow.”
Acuna Jr. is currently hitting .251 with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, and 31 runs scored for Atlanta. The Braves are off to one of their best starts in recent memory, currently sitting atop the NL East with a 45-22 record. That’s good for a 9 game cushion on second place Philadelphia. The team has nearly identical splits at home (22-11) and on the road (23-11) and will look to get back into the win column on Wednesday as their series against the White Sox continues.
Photo: Thomson200. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.