Ronald Acuna returned to the lineup Monday after having a day off due to a sore back. His back hasn’t bothered him and he should be fine moving forward, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Tuesday.
Acuna exited Saturday’s game in Miami with back tightness. It wasn’t viewed as concerning, but the team gave him the next game off before embarking on a cross-country trip to Los Angeles.
“He’s good,” Snitker said. “I think he feels a lot better. The day off the other day in Miami was huge for him. I was more worried about the flight out here that was so long. Just told him to get up and move around, don’t just stay seated for 5-1/2 hours in the air. But he’s fine.”
Acuna was back in left field Tuesday. Despite facing Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Braves kept Ender Inciarte in the lineup. Part of that logic was keeping Acuna in left rather than asking him to roam center field.
It’s obviously a relief for the Braves. Acuna is their middle-of-the-order run producer, hitting .285 with six homers and 20 RBIs this season.
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