Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. is dealing with some irritation around his meniscus in his surgically repaired right knee. The reigning NL MVP underwent an MRI on Friday and is set to be evaluated on Monday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the repair on Acuña's torn right ACL in July 2021.
The 26-year-old Acuña is anticipated to be prepared for the commencement of the regular season, although this timeline may be subject to adjustment following his consultation with ElAttrache in California.
Braves manager Brian Snitker expressed a sense of optimism, stating, 'Right now we’re trying to be optimistic. Maybe just a couple of weeks or whatever, just to calm everything down. But honestly, I don’t know until we get what the doctor out there says.'
In the 2023 season, Acuña played a pivotal role in leading Atlanta to its sixth consecutive NL East title. He achieved a career-high batting average of .337 along with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs, and 73 stolen bases across 159 games.
The incident that led to Acuña's current knee issue occurred during Thursday's game against Minnesota when he got caught in a rundown between second and third base in the third inning. Subsequently, he was substituted before the start of the sixth inning and was later removed from the lineup for Friday's game.
As the Braves and Acuña await further medical guidance, the team and fans alike are hopeful for a swift and full recovery for the talented outfielder.
Source: AP MLB
