Atlanta Braves player Ronald Acuna Jr., nine months after rupturing his ACL at the end of the season, is back to practice hitting and looking back at what he used to be.
Last July, on a Saturday afternoon in Miami, the Atlanta Braves’ hopes of winning the world championship appeared to have collapsed at Depot Park on loan.
Ronald Akuna Jr., having had himself a season MVP-caliber up to that point, was standing in the right field when Jazz Chisholm hit a linear drive in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Akuna tried to jump on the wall. Instead, he awkwardly descended on his right leg and never got up again, hiding his head in his hands while being checked by the coaches. The diagnosis was devastating to both the Braves and their 23-year-old star: a torn right ACL that would end his season.
Of course, the Braves season didn’t end there but extended into Game 6 of the World Series, when they celebrated their first franchise title in 26 years on the field in Houston. Watch Akuna’s entire post-season as his teammates won the World Championship without him.
Exactly five months after Freddy Freeman was knocked out in the final, and almost nine months after injury, it looks like Acona is ready to make a great comeback. David O’Brien the athlete He posted a video of Akuna practicing batting on Saturday at Braves’ Spring Training facility in North Port, Florida. Facing right-hand man Darren O’Day, the bat was punctuated by a rumbling crack familiar to the bat as Akuna lined up the ball into left field before leaving.
Akuna is still not ready for action. He hasn’t played in any actual games for the Braves this spring and won’t be ready when they open the season and try to defend their title. But the fact that he takes live bats, swings freely, and shows he hasn’t lost any power in his bat, is a relief to the team and baseball fans across Georgia.
Acuna, Braves Eye may be back early in the lineup
The plan, according to general manager Alex Antopoulos, is to not speed Akuna’s comeback before he’s ready to take on opposing bowlers and play on the field.
He’s been doing really well. So now it’s about what’s best for him. “It’s clear his career will come first,” said Anthopoulos. MLB Network Chris Russo Show on March 24th. “I think we are like the first week of May now. We have a good chance of getting him ready to be a complete two-way player, both on the field and in striking ability.”
Anthopoulos had to make drastic changes to the Braves lineup after losing Acuna last July. Not all of their three key players in their World Championship victory, not to mention series MVP Jorge Soler, were even on the team when Acuna was injured. It was all in an ultimately successful attempt to fill in one of the top talents in baseball – because Acuna can never be completely replaced.
At the time of the injury, Akuna led the Majors in goals, was fifth in home runs, and was one of only five players to have at least 20 ground wrecks and 10 stolen bases. He would have finished third in the National League played by .990 OPS behind Bryce Harper and Juan Soto. He was on his way to do 44 home runs, 96 RBI, 31 base steals and would have joined Jeff Bagwell and Barry Bonds as the only players to reach 40 home and 30 base steals in the season twice.
It was all lost on that July afternoon. But he’s nearing a triumphant comeback, and by the looks of O’Brien’s video, he’ll be the amazing player he always has been.
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