Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr will miss the rest of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday’s 8-1 victory at Pittsburgh.
The reigning NL MVP led off the game with a double to right-center field off Martín Pérez. With Marcell Ozuna at the plate, Acuña started toward third on a stolen base attempt and his left knee gave way. Acuña remained down for several minutes while being treated, pointing at his left leg before walking off under his own power.
The Braves’ initial diagnosis was left knee soreness. But the team announced on Sunday night that an MRI showed a complete ACL tear that will require season-ending surgery.
Acuña tore his right ACL in July 2021, ending his season on that occasion – the Braves went on to the win the World Series. Wearing a brace in the clubhouse after Sunday’s win, the 26-year-old outfielder said this injury felt less severe.
“[I] don’t feel that painful, any pop or anything ... Don’t think it’s that bad,” Acuña said.
Acuña said he was looking to take third when he anticipated a slow throw back to the mound from catcher Joey Bart. The toss came in harder than expected, leading to an abrupt pivot back to second, during which his knee twisted.
Acuña was batting .250 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 49 games. The four-time All-Star hit a career-best .337 last season with 41 homers and 106 RBIs.
Atlanta were already missing All-Star right-hander Spencer Strider, whose season ended on 13 April when he had internal brace surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Third baseman Austin Riley is day to day with a left intercostal strain, and catcher Sean Murphy remains on the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury after he was hurt on opening day.
“It’s just something that everybody goes through,” Snitker said before the results of Acuña’s MRI were announced. “We’ve been through it before. Personally, I just hate it for the young men that it affects more than us. These guys love to play the game. When something happens to those guys, I hate it for the individuals more than us, quite honestly.”