Atlanta Braves standout Ronald Acuna Jr. has been found to have irritation around the meniscus in his right knee and will undergo further assessment for the injury. The condition was revealed in an MRI conducted on Friday after he was pulled from the lineup during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles due to soreness in his right knee. Reports indicate that Acuna, the reigning National League MVP, will be evaluated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday. It’s worth noting that ElAttrache previously performed surgery to repair Acuna’s torn right ACL in July 2021.
During Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Acuna found himself entangled in a rundown, where it appears the knee issue arose. At 26 years old, Acuna boasts an impressive resume, having earned NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2018 and making four All-Star appearances.
In 2023, Acuna made history by becoming the first player in baseball to achieve 40 home runs and 70 stolen bases in a single season, with 41 homers and 73 stolen bases, the latter leading the major leagues. He also topped the majors in hits (217), runs (149), on-base percentage (.416), and total bases (383).
Across 673 career games, Acuna holds a .292 batting average with 767 hits, 161 home runs, 402 RBIs, and 180 stolen bases.
The Braves secured Acuna’s talents with an eight-year, $100 million deal back in 2019.
