Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is set to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday, signaling he’s getting closer to rejoining the team. Acuña, who tore his ACL in 2024, doesn’t have a specific return date yet, but the start of his rehab is an encouraging sign for the Braves.
“It’s going to be a day-by-day process,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “We’ll check on him the day after each game to see how he’s doing, but it’s great just to have him back on the field.” Acuña will start the assignment in the Florida Complex Rookie League in North Port, playing in the outfield before being re-evaluated. He’s expected to move on to Triple-A Gwinnett as the next step.
Acuña appeared in only 49 games last season, batting .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs, and a .716 OPS before suffering a full ACL tear in late May. Snitker expressed his disappointment at the time, saying, “These guys live to play, so it’s tough to see something like this happen.”
With Acuña out, Eli White started in right field for Atlanta’s series opener against the Washington Nationals on Monday. White is hitting .284 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 32 games this season.
The Braves’ outfield has faced setbacks this year. In addition to Acuña’s absence, left fielder Jurickson Profar is serving an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. Profar, who joined Atlanta in January on a three-year, $42 million contract, won’t be eligible to return until the end of June.
Currently, the Braves sit third in the NL East with a 19-21 record, behind the Mets and Phillies.