Ronald Acuña will officially return to Braves on Friday

“It’ll be good, he feels ready and that’s great,” Snitker said. “It’ll be great to get him back in the lineup.”

Before the game, the Braves said they were discussing when they’d officially activate Acuña over the coming days. He was later scratched from Triple-A Gwinnett’s lineup Wednesday, indicating his return was imminent.

The 27-year-old had been on a rehab assignment since May 13. It started in the Florida Complex League before he shifted to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’d played five games entering Thursday. Acuña played a full game in right field Wednesday and felt good afterwards, Snitker said, which was a crucial part of his process.

Overall, Acuña hit .400 (6-for-15) with two doubles and two homers during his rehab stint. He also drew seven walks in 22 plate appearances. Acuña was hammering the ball, too, looking comfortable at the plate. Snitker said Acuña is in tremendous physical shape, it was just a matter of getting comfortable in game action again.

Acuña checked every box in showing his readiness to rejoin the Braves’ lineup. Friday always seemed like a logical return date if he didn’t experience any setbacks.

“We know how electric that guy is,” first baseman Matt Olson said. “MVP-caliber player. To get his energy back, and lead off the game with No. 13, it’s going to be exciting.”

While expectations should be modest as Acuña gets reacclimated, his presence should greatly benefit an inconsistent lineup. In 2023, Acuña’s last full season, he hit .337 with 41 homers and 73 stolen bases en route to winning National League MVP. He sputtered last season, though, hitting .250 with a .716 OPS before experiencing the second ACL tear of his career.

“Any time you have a player of that caliber, and he’s out of your lineup, it’s a big deal,” Snitker said. “It’ll be really good to get him back and get him at the top of the lineup again.”

It’s been almost one year since Acuña tore his ACL against the Pirates on May 26, 2024. Acuña will try to stay healthy moving forward, and when he’s stayed on the field, he’s delivered historic levels of production that’s led many to consider him the most talented player in franchise history. He’s played 156 games or more twice, in 2019 and 2023, and had 5.2 WAR and 8.4 WAR in those campaigns, respectively.

He’s also arguably the best lead-off man in MLB. He’s repeatedly demonstrated his value as a tone-setting No. 1 hitter. And he’s being reinserted into an offense that’s showed life lately.

While the Braves lost both games in Washington, resulting in a 2-3 road trip, the offense has made strides, something Snitker noted Thursday. The Braves hit back-to-back home runs three times in five games. Olson had an extra-base hit in every game and homered in four of the five.

But 24-25 - and the team having been above .500 for one day all season - Acuña is coming at a time the Braves could use the proverbial spark.

“The way he plays is infectious,” Olson said. “I can’t say enough about the talent of a player he is. What he’s able to do on a baseball field, not many people can do. You get a guy like that back, it can only help.”

The Braves dropped to 7-1/2 games behind the Phillies with Thursday’s loss. They’re 5-1/2 games behind the second-place Mets. There’s a lot of season remaining, and the Braves have improved since their poor start, but they could really use one of the red-hot Junes they’ve often assembled during this run of seven straight postseason berths.

“I’m still waiting for us to put all phases together,” Snitker said. “We haven’t had a streak, and that’s why. Whether it’s we haven’t pitched great, haven’t been able to keep the line moving, or we’ll score then we give some games up with the bullpen - when we get on the same page, if we get that offense going, we’re going to put something together.”

Next, they’ll host the reeling Padres, losers of six consecutive games. Then they’ll travel to Philadelphia and try to make up ground against a Phillies team that’s won seven straight after sweeping the lowly Pirates and Rockies.