The Braves aren’t going to rush Ronald Acuna back onto the field.
Acuna was out of the lineup again Tuesday for the Braves’ second game in Boston. He exited Sunday’s game in Philadelphia with tightness in his right hamstring and missed Monday’s 6-3 win over the Red Sox.
Manager Brian Snitker indicated Acuna might not play until Friday, when the Braves return from a trip and face the Nationals in a doubleheader.
“If he misses tomorrow’s game, and we have the day off (Thursday), I would think he’d be raring to go Friday for the doubleheader,” Snitker said, adding that Acuna worked out on the field Tuesday. “I don’t know how he felt coming in (Tuesday). I know he felt something yesterday. That was what led to the caution today. They wanted to run him around a little bit first.”
Ender Inciarte replaced Acuna in center field Tuesday, with Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall at the corner spots. Shortstop Dansby Swanson was moved back to the leadoff spot.
Acuna recently returned from the injured list after missing 11 games with left-wrist inflammation. He’s hit .266/.389/.532 with five homers, 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored in 23 games this season.
Notes from Tuesday:
- Second baseman Ozzie Albies is expected to begin hitting on the field by the end of the week, Snitker said. The Braves haven’t offered an estimated return date.
“Everything is good,” Snitker said. “He’s amped up how hard he’s swinging. All the reports are good. He’s scheduled, by the end of the week, to be working out and taking batting practice at the alternate site (in Gwinnett).
- One slash line that won’t look too different than usual at the end of the 60-game campaign probably will be Freddie Freeman’s. After a mediocre start, the first baseman is enjoying a 14-game hitting streak. He’s upped his season line to .314/.434/.551 with five homers and 21 RBIs. He leads the National League in walks (25).
Freeman’s 14-game run is tied for the second-longest in the majors entering Tuesday. Jose Abreu of the White Sox has equaled the streak, while Washington’s Trea Turner is on a 16-game run.
- First baseman Matt Adams was designated for assignment Sunday when the Braves needed to open a spot for acquired lefty Tommy Milone. If Adams clears waivers, he could be assigned to the alternate training site Wednesday.
Adams hit .184/.216/.347 with two homers and nine RBIs in 16 games. The Braves were searching for bench help at the deadline that could’ve pushed Adams off the 28-man roster anyway, but they didn’t make a move. He no longer is on the 40-man roster.
- The trade deadline passed without the Braves making a notable addition. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has drawn criticism for fans, but the players understand there are a lot of factors at play when trying to complete trades.
“You don’t take offense to it,” catcher Tyler Flowers said. “Having a relationship with everyone in this clubhouse, you almost sort of embrace it. That faith, trust and belief in each guy that’s in here currently. That they didn’t feel it was necessary to get rid of certain guys, get certain guys to come in. They believe our guys are better off. I think we all have belief in all the guys who are here right now, and even some who aren’t here right now, that they can come in, contribute and get jobs done.
“So honestly, I kind of view it the opposite way, where I think it’s a vote of confidence in the group we currently have and basically started out with. There’s that belief that they’ll get the job done and put us in position we want to be in to give us a chance.”
- The Braves don’t play at Fenway Park often, but it was easy for them to notice a difference without the usual baseball-city atmosphere. Snitker has noticed it more in Boston than he has in other ballparks.
“This has probably been the one place you notice the no fans and all more than the rest of them, for some reason,” he said. “Just because this is such a special place. You never come here and it’s not just jam-packed. Every game is a sellout.
“It’s still really cool to go there and look around like, ‘Man, it’s Fenway Park.’ But this has had a different feel than everyone else, I guess it’s because it is Fenway Park. We’re not going to Wrigley (in Chicago), but I would probably think you’d feel the same way there in those iconic places like that. It’s so special to be able to play here.”
