Unless you took the 2024 season off (if so, good for you), followers of the Atlanta Braves are well-acquainted with the injury troubles that haunted the team in 2024. The season started with the unfortunate news that Strider needed elbow surgery and not long after that, we got word that Ronald Acuna Jr. was out for the year with another knee injury. While the Braves still managed to make the playoffs, the damage was done and the injuries basically never stopped coming.
The good news is that no one (probably) is likely to get hurt during the offseason and a lot of the injured Braves players are going to be coming back. However, Braves beat writer Mark Bowman recently provided an updated return timeline for both Acuna Jr. and Strider that suggests that the start of the 2025 season could be a bit dicey.
Both Acuna Jr. and Strider being out for at least the first month of 2025 is not ideal
We already knew that both Acuna Jr. and Strider would not be ready by Opening Day and it is objectively good that the Braves are not rushing either player back. Strider's elbow injury was weird and this is also his second arm surgery, so pumping the brakes is wise. Acuna Jr. really pushed things coming back quickly in 2022 from knee surgery on his other knee last time and he didn't look like himself again until his 2023 MVP campaign.
Alex Anthopoulos said #Braves are going to bring Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider back deliberately – not setting a return date now. Could be April, could be later.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) October 4, 2024
They'll adjust timetable(s) on an individual basis to make sure they don't rush the process whatsoever.
However, the hard reality from Bowman that Acuna Jr. will out for "at least" the first six weeks of the 2025 season and Strider won't be ready for at least a month is pretty harsh. Strider is easily one of the Braves' two best starters alongside Chris Sale and Acuna Jr. might be the most talented player in baseball. That is a lot of production to start a season without.
The good news is that no such delays appear to be in place for Atlanta's other dinged up stars. Sean Murphy gets a full offseason to hopefully recover from his oblique issues. It sounds like Austin Riley is on track to be ready for the start of the season. Joe Jimenez is out for most or all of next season, but we can't have everything we want.
What is unclear is just how much urgency this adds to the Braves' offseason plans. They probably wanted to add a starter this offseason anyways and the team generally likes to cover turns in the rotation early on in seasons with spot starts regardless of Strider's status. Being without Acuna Jr. certainly is tougher to cover, but Atlanta is already searching for outfield help this offseason and should be deep enough on offense to weather the short-term loss while Ronnie heals up.