The information hit like a punch to the intestine Sunday night: Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., the defending Nationwide League MVP, will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee. Acuña is a transcendent participant who has had buzzard’s luck during the last 5 years. However the misfortune isn’t simply his: There aren’t many gamers extra enjoyable to look at than Acuña — and now, none of us get to take action till 2025. It simply stinks.
A participant like Acuña isn’t taken off the board with out some severe ramifications, not only for him however for his crew and the remainder of baseball. Listed here are 5 next-morning takeaways from Acuña’s damage.
Some would possibly say the NL East race is over, however that doesn’t imply Atlanta’s season is
If we’re being sincere, the Phillies have been already within the technique of placing some severe distance between themselves and the Braves. Their division lead is as much as six video games heading into Memorial Day — the most important lead in any division in baseball, in case you can imagine that. And whereas the Phillies have a a lot more durable schedule over the following month than something they’ve confronted up up to now, plucking Acuña out of the Braves’ lineup clears the trail for the Phillies significantly. (One clear benefit: The Phillies nonetheless have 10 video games in opposition to the Braves, none of which can function Acuña.)
The Phillies have had all the pieces working to this point — from a veteran lineup that has been wonderful, even with out an injured Trea Turner or an efficient Nick Castellanos, to a rotation that has been the perfect in baseball by a slightly broad margin. It was going to be robust sledding for the Braves to maintain up with the Phillies with Acuña. With out him, the Phillies have to love their possibilities.
Not that lacking out on the division title ought to make the Braves assume all is misplaced; in spite of everything, they gained this division by 14 video games final season — and that didn’t cease them from being unceremoniously knocked out by the Phillies within the NL Division Collection.
The Braves could also be within the outfield market once more
One of many worst points of Acuña being out for the yr is, after all, we’ve got been by way of this earlier than. In 2021, the Braves misplaced Acuña after he tore the ACL in his proper knee. As is already occurring within the wake of this newest damage, many instantly wrote off the Braves’ possibilities that yr. However one one who didn’t was Atlanta normal supervisor Alex Anthopoulos, who introduced in all types of outfield reinforcements — from Adam Duvall to grasp of pearls Joc Pederson to that season’s NL Championship Collection MVP Eddie Rosario to 2021 World Collection MVP Jorge Soler. That Voltron of outfielders launched the Braves to their first title since 1995. The query is whether or not or not there’s the stock for Anthopoulos to tug such a coup once more.
The perfect outfielder more likely to be in the marketplace might be Tommy Pham of the White Sox, although it’s additionally attainable the Angels will store Jo Adell. If the Braves have been feeling dangerous, they may even look into Pham’s teammate, Luis Robert, who’s at the moment on the IL. There are additionally inside choices, from Duvall (who re-signed for his third stint with Atlanta in March) to Minor Leaguers like J.P. Martínez or Forrest Wall, who was on Atlanta’s Opening Day roster and has been terrific at Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves have confirmed they’ll change Acuña after they should … and perhaps even win a World Collection whereas doing so.
Austin Riley is coming again simply in time
The All-Star Braves third baseman has been out since Could 12 with an intercostal pressure, however he’s scheduled to return Monday in opposition to the Nationals. Riley, as soon as considered a slugger with out a lot plate self-discipline, has turned himself right into a star. Did you notice he’s the one participant within the NL to complete within the High 10 in MVP voting every of the previous three seasons? He was off to a considerably gradual begin — for him — earlier than happening with the damage, however he seems to be again on monitor and able to go.
Riley is, in some ways, indicative of the success the Braves have had of late, in that he not often will get injured; he performed 160 video games in 2021, plus 159 in ’22 and ’23. That has clearly blown up now. The Braves have a deep lineup even with out Acuña, however they want Riley’s thump in the course of the order, to associate with the resurgent Marcell Ozuna, greater than ever. You may’t change Acuña. However having Riley return the day Acuña goes down is not less than some useful kismet.
You may’t assist however marvel what we’ve already misplaced with Acuña
MLB.com’s Mike Petriello included Acuña alongside Juan Soto in his, “it’s not too quickly to name them legends” class of potential Corridor of Famers earlier this yr. However that included the caveat that that was “barring severe damage.” Effectively, we now have one other severe damage for Acuña. Take a look at the final 5 years for Acuña, one of the riveting skills we’ve seen in baseball in a very long time:
2020: Covid-19 truncated season
2021: Torn ACL in proper knee
2022: Return from ACL, with restricted effectiveness as a result of restoration from the damage
2023: MVP and historic 41-homer, 73-steal season
2024: Torn ACL in left knee
After what we noticed from Acuña in 2022, when he was tentative taking part in on his surgically repaired proper knee earlier than coming again with a vengeance in 2023, it’s not unreasonable to assume we would not see the Acuña we all know and love till … 2026? By that time, he’ll be 29 — getting set to veer into his 30s, proper when gamers together with his pace begin to lose a step or two. This isn’t to say Acuña won’t be a superb participant once more: He’s Ronald Acuña Jr., in spite of everything. However the peak Acuña? The one who may do all the pieces higher than nearly anybody else may do something? Let’s hope all of us get to see that participant once more.
The entire baseball neighborhood will miss Acuña
From the very first second we noticed Acuña within the Majors in his 2018 NL Rookie of the Yr season, we knew we have been seeing one thing particular — the type of participant you’ll be able to construct not only a entire crew round, however a complete league. Now we have seen flashes — and in 2023, he put all of it collectively the best way we dreamed may occur. Acuña is a type of gamers who reminds you what the game itself is able to, how an individual can seemingly have been born particularly to play baseball.
Any child who watches Acuña desires to be him, and we’ll all stay up for dreaming together with him once more quickly.