For more than a month, the Atlanta Braves have been taking the field without the most talented player on their roster. Ronald Acuña Jr. was sidelined on June 9 with yet another hamstring injury, and the Braves have felt his absence immensely.
The good news for Braves fans is that Acuña Jr. appears to be nearing his return. Atlanta's right fielder is currently on a rehab assignment with the FCL Braves, and he is making noise. On Thursday afternoon, Acuña rocketed a 112 mph grand slam that got Braves fans everywhere buzzing about his eventual return.
We have mentioned how much the Braves miss Acuña's incredible on-base skills. Still, if the former MVP wants to return with a bit more power than what he's displayed in 2026 thus far, Atlanta's offense could return to the top-of-the-league production it had during the season's first couple of months.
Ronald Acuña Jr.'s Grand Slam from today's FCL Game pic.twitter.com/OlE2orXDFb
— CoolToday Park (@cooltodaypark) July 16, 2026
A returning (slugging version of) Ronald Acuña Jr. would take the Braves' offense to another level
It's no coincidence the Braves offense went cold the same time the home run ball basically vanished. That is why adding a bat at the trade deadline is a hot-button topic in Braves Country right now. Atlanta has always been a team that relies on slugging, and when Acuña Jr. is right, no one has more raw power on the team.
2026 has been a weird season for Acuña in the power department, totaling only seven homers in 53 games played so far. Additionally, Acuña's .421 slugging percentage is the lowest in a season in which he played at least 50 games since 2022. To be fair, Acuña Jr. has been one of the unluckiest hitters in baseball this season; his .489 expected slugging percentage (xSLG) and .378 xwOBA rank in the 86th and 93rd percentile respectively.
To see an Acuña Jr. hard-hit ball actually go over the fence is very refreshing, and something Braves fans hope continues more often as the season goes on. Ronald is a force at the top of the lineup because he sets the table for everyone behind him. However, when he is hitting for extra bases, it tends to raise the offense's ceiling quite a bit. Let's hope the majestic grand slam RAJ hit on Thursday is just the opening of the floodgates.
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