The Atlanta Braves are in desperate need of a spark offensively, having just dropped two of three games to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend while scoring a grand total of eight runs. If this team is going to shake off its sluggish start and make good on its World Series hopes, it's going to need to start hitting — and thankfully, one of the best hitters on the planet is set to take a big step toward returning to Atlanta's lineup.
The Braves announced that former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is set to begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Tuesday, nearly a full year after suffering the torn ACL that cut short his 2024 campaign. According to The Athletic's David O'Brien, Acuña Jr. will play the outfield immediately, and there is as yet no firm timetable for his return to the Majors.
#Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. will begin rehab assignment Tuesday at North Port in the Florida Complex Rookie League. He’ll play in the outfield, and they’ll see how he feels after some games there before bumping him up to a higher minor league. Still no specific timetable for return
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) May 12, 2025
This is obviously huge news for the Braves, and it couldn't come at a better time. Still, plenty of hurdles still remain, and Atlanta needs to make sure that its desperation for Acuña Jr. to fix what ails it doesn't put their star's long-term outlook in jeopardy.
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Braves need Ronald Acuña Jr. to revive their flagging offense
The Braves have tried to make it work in the outfield despite Acuña Jr.'s injury and Jurickson Profar's suspension, but it's been an uphill battle, especially now that Alex Verdugo has cooled off a bit following a hot start to his tenure in Atlanta. When he's right, few players can change a game like Acuña Jr. can, and getting him back atop the lineup figures to help everything else click into place behind him.
But Atlanta does need to be a bit careful here. They've been down this road before with the face of their franchise: The last time Acuña Jr. tore an ACL, back in 2021, he tried to come back as quickly as possible, and he struggled through a disappointing 119 games in 2022. This is obviously a serious injury, and the Braves need to prioritize getting Acuña Jr. back at full health rather than just getting him back fast.
That patience may be hard to come by if the Braves keep struggling at the plate the way they have of late, and if their chances in the NL East begin to fade. But Acuña Jr.'s long-term health is the most important thing this franchise is responsible for, and Atlanta's problems so far this season go far beyond just one or two players. However long Acuña Jr. thinks he needs, the Braves should give him longer, even if fans don't love it.