When Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Tuesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals, fans were hopeful the slugger's injury might just be a result of the Missouri heat. When it the Braves announced it was Achilles tightness, fans hoped that it was just a cramp that would keep him out a game or two.
Unfortunately, that shred of optimism was completely shot down in the postgame as every subsequent injury update the Braves gave got worse and worse.
Within minutes of the game ending, Atlanta announced Acuña would be heading to the injured list.
Braves News: Ronald Acuña Jr. headed to injured list with Achilles issue
But it got worse again. Apparently, Acuña felt discomfort in the area during Monday's game, informed the coaching staff, but then lobbied to play ... and the Braves obliged. While it's understandable for Acuña to lobby playing, the Braves' management should have known better than to push their superstar in a lost season.
Acuña held back tears as he talked after tonight's game. He said he'll be further evaluated (likely MRI) tomorrow. He felt discomfort when he scored from first on Monday. He lobbied to play today because in his mind he had missed too much time already this season.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 30, 2025
If he's seriously injured, the organization will never be forgiven. Fans have already dealt with two Acuña ACL tears. How can they further jeopardize his health like this?
Simply put, the Braves can't replace Acuña's production, or come close to it. Since returning from his ACL injury, the 2023 MVP has been one of the best hitters in baseball, with only Athletics rookie sensation Nick Kurtz and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge posting a higher wRC+.
The Braves' outfield options at the moment aren't very strong at the moment, either. Jarred Kelenic has struggled mightily since being sent to Gwinnett in April, and Carlos Rodriguez is the only other outfielder on the 40-man roster.
players are literally ALWAYS going to lobby to play, they never want to sit. This is when the people in charge need to actually step in and make the correct decision. Letting Ronnie play today is completely unacceptable https://t.co/qIQQwESjHO
— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) July 30, 2025
It's likely one of these two will get the call, while Eli White sees the bulk of the action in right field. White has been seldom used since Jurickson Profar returned from his suspension, but has made the most of his at bats, going 5-11 with a hit-by-pitch in his 12 plate appearances.
Acuña's injury is a massive blow to the Braves, even with the playoffs being out of reach. The right fielder was one of the few reasons left to continue tuning into games, and thanks to poor management, the Braves will now be deprived of watching their best player for the foreseeable future. Fans will be bracing for further updates on Wednesday, and the backlash might be overwhelming for the organization if the news is bad.