The Atlanta Braves have dealt with a plethora of injuries again this season. No one expected the annoyance of injuries to follow them from the 2024 season. Unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened.
There is no chance of this team making the playoffs, so at this point, fans are just looking for things to be excited about. That includes star players being on the field as much as possible. Braves ace Chris Sale is nearing his return as he began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
We received more exciting updates on two more important pieces ahead of Atlanta's game with the Mets as well. It seems Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley are inching towards their returns to the lineup.
Acuña and Riley are with the team and both could be activated during this trip. Ronald is further along. Wouldn't be surprised to see him in the lineup tomorrow or Thursday. Riley is eligible Thursday, but he may not be activated before this weekend's series in Cleveland.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 12, 2025
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley on track to be activated from IL this week
Acuña is eligible to return from the IL already; however, the Braves have been careful not to rush him. Mark Bowman stated that he wouldn't be surprised if Acuña is activated on Wednesday or Thursday.
It will depend on how confident they are in his ability to hit and play defense for a full game. Having him back would be huge for the offense, and seeing him hit well against the Mets is always a good time.
The other promising update was on Riley, who has been dealing with another abdominal injury. He is eligible to return from the IL on Thursday, but Bowman feels Atlanta will wait to activate him once the team is in Cleveland.
We may not know the exact date the Braves plan to activate either player just yet, but the good news is that they're with the team. This shows the team plans to add them back to the lineup at some point during this week. Just having their presence in the lineup will make a huge difference both for the clubhouse as well as for fans who have been suffering through this season.
The most important thing is ensuring they return healthy and have a low risk of reinjuring themselves. There is no use trying to force them onto the field faster than they need to, especially in a lost year.