Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. homered in the first game of his minor-league rehab stint on Tuesday night to highlight his initial on-field contest in nearly 12 months.
The 2023 National League MVP tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on May 26, 2024, while taking a secondary lead off second base at Pittsburgh. He underwent surgery on June 6.
Acuna, 27, went 1-for-3 for the Braves’ Florida Complex League team on Tuesday, including a fifth-inning homer over the center-field wall in his final plate appearance. Acuna played six innings in right field before exiting the game against the Baltimore Orioles’ FCL club at North Port, Fla.
The Braves plan to increase Acuna’s workload slowly — similar to the way they handle players in the early part of spring training.
Atlanta hasn’t disclosed a timetable for Acuna to return to the majors.
Acuna batted .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs and 16 steals in 49 games last season prior to the injury.
In 2023, Acuna was the unanimous MVP as he belted 41 homers and stole a major-league-best 73 bases to post the first 40-70 season in MLB history. He batted .337 and led the majors with 149 runs, 217 hits and a .416 on-base percentage.
His historic campaign came two years after he sustained a torn right ACL on July 10, 2021, and missed the rest of that season.
Since making his major-league debut in 2018 at 20 years of age, Acuna has batted .289 with a .379 on-base percentage, .525 slugging percentage, 165 homers, 417 RBIs and 196 steals in 722 games over seven seasons. He’s a four-time All-Star.
