Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. has missed his team’s last three games with a right groin injury suffered in Tuesday’s game with the Red Sox, but it doesn’t appear to be a significant issue. After undergoing an MRI today, Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) that imaging revealed “nothing big” about the injury.
“It’s the best news possible….He’s just going to be day to day,” Snitker said. “I don’t know how long it will be. But there’s nothing from the MRI that showed he’s going to be shut down.”
In other positive news, Snitker said that Acuna’s issues are just with his groin, not with the ACL that was torn last July. Acuna has played in only 10 games since returning from that long injury rehab, but hasn’t missed a beat in hitting .282/.391/.487 over 46 plate appearances.
It’s possible Acuna could be back in Atlanta’s lineup for Monday’s game against the Brewers, as Snitker indicated that the outfielder probably won’t play on Sunday. Bowman noted that the team doesn’t yet seem to be considering a trip to the 10-day injured list, though one would imagine if Acuna was still unavailable Monday, the Braves might make a move to keep them from being shorthanded for yet another game.
The silver lining of Acuna’s absence is that Travis Demeritte and William Contreras have both been on a tear at the plate, but naturally Atlanta needs Acuna back healthy as quickly as possible. Shared struggles from Adam Duvall, Marcell Ozuna, and (the injured) Eddie Rosario have meant that the Braves haven’t gotten much from their outfield mix this season. Braves outfielders have combined for -0.7 fWAR this season, tied with the A’s for the lowest total among outfield corps in the majors.
You Can Put It In The Books
Despite the lack of severity, not good news. Get well soon RAJ.
48-team MLB
*WORLD CHAMPIONS
dadofdonnydownvote
Braves will be fine. Quite frankly they started last year off much the same. I suspect they will come back around.
vaderzim
I think they have the best shot of any team in the division to overtake the Mets, but they have their work cut out for them
SocoComfort
They don’t have to overtake the Mets especially with the expanded playoffs.
cloutthedriver
Last year they had freeman the leader of the clubhouse , the braves are gonna regret letting him go and it’s showing already
Neon Cop
@clout: i don’t think the Braves regret any of that actually; acc to reports, FF didn’t gel w certain players…time will tell on their season, as it did last year
ArianaGrandSlam
He joined the Mitch Haniger club?
48-team MLB
LeBronald Acuna Jr. has a World Series ring.
LarryJ4
There is nothing to compare Acuña to JaBron Lames! Not even close to the same character! Trolls are reaching more and more for something to make themselves look good.
SocoComfort
Well Acuna did some celebration that mimicked Lebron the other day I think. Don’t watch much basketball so I don’t know if it was legit
dadofdonnydownvote
That is true Soco. It was some fake push up thing. I’m not a fan of the showboating thing. Hopefully RAJ got a talking to about that from Snit.
bravesfan0618
I guess he doesn’t like Snit now. Ain’t that way he doesn’t like Freeman? Cause they are trying to teach him the right way. Just another punk who will be flat broke 5 years after he quits playing.
pinstripes17
This comment screams racism to me. Let the kids play.
thelegendofmike
“Just another punk” – you sir will be muted.
You Can Put It In The Books
Oh no, not muted! Anything but the mute button!!
Yankee Clipper
Better than the groin injury being from the Trevor Bauer Club: I hear they can get a bit rough –
too soon?
thelegendofmike
Just not funny
Old York
Guy can’t stay healthy and on the field. Time for a new face of the game.
Poster formerly known as . . .
There are plenty of faces of the game besides him.
TradeAcuna
Except he was never the face of the sport. I understand the game has changed but I refuse to call anybody a superstar until they win you must win games (playoffs) and don’t strike out a bunch. So far, Acuna has not done either
Bravesfan59
and neither has anyone else
TradeAcuna
Which is fine. I believe “superstar” is thrown around way too much in sports.
RunDMC
Guy comes back from ACL tear in near-record time and has avoided an IL stint from a sore groin after going 8-for-8 in SB in 16 games played between AAA-MLB trying to prove to everyone including keyboard warriors like yourself that he’s just fine. We’ll all soon benefit from that chip on his shoulder.
Look, someone’s on your lawn.
pinstripes17
Get off my lawn!
Neon Cop
Can’t wait til this dude truly finds his groove
bravesnation nc
Kid gloves with this guy. The lineup needs his bat true but a groin injury can spiral out of control. Say what you want RA Jr but the kid plays hard. I could do without all the extra homerun antics but that’s how these younger guys express themselves and it’s part of the game now. MLB like’s it because it draws younger fans and they need it to compete with NBA,NFL so I’m for it. Anything to get more African American youth to pick up a glove and bat and more interactions with that community is a good thing.
You Can Put It In The Books
He’s Venezuelan, not African American, but that doesn’t really matter to you hicks from the south does it.
VINCENT D
Punk!
bravesnation nc
I say that community meaning my own. I’m Black and Puerto Rican and I want more of this community to fall in love with the greatest sport of them all Baseball!
Wiseoldfool
Well said bn/NC. I’m another devout member of Brave’s Country residing in NC. Septuagenarian lifelong fanatic of our National Past Time. IMO #13’s unbridled enthusiasm outweighs his antics. Let the Kid(s) play. Go Braves !
SocoComfort
@bravesnation I have to completely agree with everything you said. I have been very concerned about the sport not being as popular with African Americans and this is coming from a white dude lol. We all want to share the things we love with as many people as possible or at least most of us
Steinbrenner2728
“but that doesn’t really matter to you hicks from the south does it.”
-in the words of good ol’ You Can NOT Put It In The Books…
bravesnation nc
Lineup struggling, Defense committing costly errors, Ugly, Ugly, Ugly baseball! Don’t know what they need to do but being a sub 500 team until August will not cut it in 2022.
dadofdonnydownvote
@bravesnc. The extra innings runners on 2nd base doesn’t exactly help either.
Yankee Clipper
The Braves’ organist playing “This Old Man” when when Robinson Cano came to the plate was epic…
lethridge
The Braves need corner outfielders taking catch pop flies
Yankee Clipper
That’s been endemic throughout MLB. Gallo dropped a fly ball, Steven Souza dropped a lazy fly ball, Mancini dropped several, Goldy dropped a very playable pop up, Gary Sanchez Dro…well, never mind.
It’s terrible, embarrassing, & should never happen, but it seems that it’s everywhere – and with experienced guys too.