MIAMI — When the Braves released their lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against the Marlins, a familiar name was at the top: Ronald Acuña Jr., the dynamic leadoff hitter who, at his best, probably is one of baseball’s elite players.
Less than 24 hours before the Braves’ lineup dropped, Acuña knelt on the ground in pain after getting hit by a pitch in the shoulder. He exited the game against the Mets, leaving questions about his status for the beginning of the series in Miami.
He was pleasantly surprised that he sustained only a left shoulder contusion and nothing worse.
“At the moment, I thought it was something more serious because I couldn’t move my arm,” Acuña said Tuesday through interpreter Franco García. “Thankfully, everything’s OK.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s game, Acuña took the early bus to loanDepot Park so he could work with athletic trainer George Poulis. Acuña, who received treatment and took swings, passed all the tests.
Of course, if you’re a Braves fan, you were concerned about Acuña because you probably had heard about him leaving the second game of Monday’s doubleheader. You also might’ve read updates about the outfielder undergoing further imaging at a local hospital.
Luckily, the situation didn’t turn out to be serious.
“When I saw him get off the plane, I was like, ‘He’s fine,’” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I think it was just more the in-the-moment-type thing (with the pain) more than anything.”
After exiting the game, Acuña received X-rays, which returned negative. The Braves sent him to a hospital in New York – he went while they were still playing and returned ahead of the flight to Miami – for further imaging.
This was not fun for the Braves’ superstar.
“Just like anyone else, you don’t want things to be more severe,” Acuña said. “Scary, but thankfully everything’s OK and nothing happened.”
The hit by pitch, Acuña said, made it feel “like my arm was asleep, basically.” The 93 mph fastball came from Mets starter Tylor Megill. After the game, Braves catcher Sean Murphy said he didn’t think there was any intent with the pitch.
Acuña entered Tuesday batting .363 with a 1.034 OPS. Among qualified hitters in MLB, Acuña’s batting average ranked third and his OPS sixth. He led the majors with 13 stolen bases.
Of his five home runs, the latest came Monday, when he blasted a ball to the third deck at Citi Field. After Acuña trotted around the bases, the broadcast camera caught him with Marcell Ozuna and Michael Harris II. Acuña and Ozuna were pointing – presumably at where the ball landed. Harris had a confused look, as if he were wondering how the ball ended up all the way in the third deck.
“They were just asking me what I do to hit the ball that far,” Acuña said. “I told them, ‘I don’t really know either, to be honest.’”
The Braves are happy Acuña is in the lineup a day after a scare.
“If he’s not there, it’s a big deal, (with) what he adds and how he’s kickstarted this thing so many times,” Snitker said. “I’m just glad it’s nothing serious. It’s bruised, and he’ll be fine.”
