Braves News: Ronald Acuña Jr. appears in a sim game, bringing him one step closer to a comeback.
Braves supporters briefly fretted that they might not see Ronald Acuña Jr. on Opening Day. It appears that he may return to Spring Training action shortly.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hasn’t played for the Braves in more than a week due to a painful knee that he injured during a rundown against the Twins. For the following three days, Braves fans were filled with anxiety, but finally, they received word that his knee was not structurally damaged and he would be ready for Opening Day.
Even with the positive development, it remained unclear when the current NL MVP would return to action. The slugger even expressed uncertainty on Tuesday, stating, “I don’t know when I’ll play again, but I feel like I can play today — I can play every day.”
Although the Braves have been gradually increasing the playing time of their top player, Acuña Jr. took batting practice on Thursday and advanced further on Saturday.
Ronald Acuña Jr. plays a yard in a sim game (we believe). He looked well in the AB that went viral on social media, taking this pitch deep into the outfield, even if there are no reports on how many ABs he received on the backfield.
To me, it sounds like a home run.
The Braves anticipate that the 26-year-old will play with the same level of aggression as he did the previous season. “Right now, you just have to let a kid like that loose and let him play his game,” manager Brian Snitker stated to the media.
Even with his presence in the simulated game, Acuña’s return to the starting lineup is still unknown, but he still has plenty of time to prepare for Opening Day, as the Braves still have more than three weeks until their game against the Phillies in Philadelphia.
When the Braves decide he’s ready, we definitely want to see him back in the starting lineup.
