The great outfielder for the Atlanta Braves will finally make a comeback to the starting lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays in Spring Training, much to the relief of the team’s supporters.
Only a few games were played by Ronald Acuña Jr. before he had to cope with some right knee stiffness following a rundown during a game. It was the same knee that required surgery to fix back in 2021. Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing more serious than meniscus irritation.
The Venezuelan native took some time off to give the knee some rest. Atlanta took things one day at a time and slowly got him back to baseball activities. Brian Snitker noted he was listening closely to the Braves training staff to determine the right time to bring him back to the lineup.
After seeing his surgeon in Los Angeles, Acuña was eager to get back in the lineup and was making jokes with the media about it when he returned to camp. That in and of itself demonstrated that it was a small setback and did not depress him.
It’s encouraging that the group has enough faith in him to start him again. In order to prevent Ronald from playing too much too soon, he will be the designated hitter for the game on Thursday. The Braves’ trip to Philadelphia to start the regular season is in precisely two weeks.
They will want their MVP to be fit and prepared to help the club win another World Series. In terms of stolen bases, he is already expected to lead the league in 2024. That demonstrates his immense value to this group.
