Atlanta Braves fans can let out a sigh of relief today as they receive an update on their superstar outfielder. Ronald Acuña Jr. was announced to have irritation in the same knee that he injured in 2021, giving cause for concern amongst the Atlanta faithful.
The Braves decided to play it safe and keep Acuña out of the lineup and sent him to Los Angeles for a second opinion from the same doctor who repaired his knee. While that gave some fans a reason for concern, it makes sense why Atlanta would want the same doctor to see him.
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. was seen by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles last night, who confirmed irritation in the meniscus of his right knee. Acuña Jr. is set to gradually increase baseball activities and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) March 5, 2024
Dr. Neal ElAttrache confirmed there are signs of irritation with Acuña's meniscus in the right knee. Acuña did get caught in a run-down the day before the irritation was found so that may be where the irritation stemmed from.
This is the best news that the Braves could receive as no damage needs to be repaired and Acuña just needs to take things slow for a bit. He will gradually increase baseball activities throughout March and is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
He had only played in a handful of games so far this spring and had been playing as expected.
Losing him would have been a huge blow for the Atlanta Braves. A player of his caliber isn't so easily replaced and his presence would have been missed. Luckily, fans don't have to worry about that at the moment and still get the chance to see Acuña push for another MVP-worthy season.
Ronald understands just how important being healthy is for his success and I'm sure he will heed every piece of advice given so that he can get back on the field and contribute. He spoke with MLB Network about that exact topic a day or so before the injury was announced.
"I love this team. I don't wanna go anywhere. I'm here for life."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 1, 2024
NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. joins @CliffFloyd30 to discuss playing for the @Braves, style and more! pic.twitter.com/sf743ceNFm
Acuña is a well-seasoned player at this point so it shouldn't take him very long to ramp things up and get back up to speed. Hopefully, this irritation doesn't make Ronald more cautious on the basepaths as that is a big weapon for the Braves.
It's nice to get some good news after a day or two of worrying that we would potentially have to go without Ronald Acuña Jr. for a prolonged period.