The Braves had already lost their ace this season, but on Sunday they also lost their reigning National League MVP for the remainder of the year.
Ronald Acuña Jr., who left the game after suffering a non-contact injury while running the bases, was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament after an MRI and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season while undergoing surgery, the team announced.
Acuna reached second base as the leadoff batter in the first inning, took a hard step with a second lead, and as he turned to return to the base, he twisted his body in pain and fell to the ground.
This marks Acuna’s second ACL tear in his right knee during the 2021 season. The outfielder also suffered a left ACL sprain in 2018.
Originally, speaking to reporters in the locker room shortly after Sunday’s 8-1 win over the Pirates, Acuna compared the injury to one he suffered six years ago, when he missed 28 games before returning and winning Rookie of the Year.
“I hope everything will be fine this time,” Acuña told reporters through an interpreter, but acknowledged that he was scared at the time because the pain eventually subsided.
But just a few hours later, the outlook changed.
The Braves won the World Series without Acuña in 2021 and will need to play the remaining 112 games to clinch a postseason berth without the 26-year-old and then try to repeat the winning streak.
“I’m sorry,” Acuna said. I wrote in a post on Sunday night.She ended by adding a broken heart emoji and a sleepy face emoji.
Acuna has batted .246 with a .704 OPS in 48 games this year. The Braves are losing starting pitcher Spencer Strider to season-ending UCL surgery and currently sit six games behind the Phillies in the NL East.
Strider, who led MLB in wins with 20 and strikeouts with 281 during the 2023 regular season, has made just two starts this year, exiting the second game with elbow soreness.
This time, the lineup will need to be adjusted.
The outfield will need some adjustments.
With the season not even halfway through, Atlanta’s bid for a seventh consecutive division title faces another major obstacle.
