The update on sidelined Braves outfielder and top prospect Ronald Acuna: There isn’t one. Well, sort of.
Acuna was injured while running through first base Sunday in Boston. He was placed on the disabled list a day later after an MRI revealed he had a mild ACL sprain in his left knee, a bruised left knee and a bruised lower back.
It was good news for the Braves and Acuna after some initially feared the injury was season-ending.
Acuna is eligible to come off the DL on June 8 before the Braves play the Dodgers in Los Angeles, though there isn’t yet an indication that will be the case.
“It’s literally day-to-day how he feels,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I think he’s doing really good, but it’s not, I don’t think there’s a target date for him to get out here and run the bases, hit. It’s literally when he comes in, how he’s feeling, tests out and everything. Just getting treatments. I think he feels good.”
The near-consensus top prospect in baseball slashed .265/.326/.453 in his first 29 games. He had substantially cooled off lately, however, after hitting a robust .382 in his first eight games.
“He’s 20 years old. He’s going to heal quick and probably want to get after it before it’s ready,” Snitker said. “I’m sure if you asked him, he’d tell you, ‘I can go out there and play right now.’ But they are going to be careful, get rid of all the pain and make sure everything’s tightened up and solid. They’ll check him every day when he comes in. The staff isn’t targeting, like, next Wednesday he needs to do this. It’s literally a day-to-day thing.”
