MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves activated Ronald Acuña Jr. from the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday night's series opener against the Miami Marlins, clearing the way for the right fielder to return after being sidelined since May 2 with a strained left hamstring.
“Super happy to once again return to the field,” Acuña said in Spanish after sitting out Atlanta's 12-0 loss. “The most important thing is to come back healthy and help the club.”
Before the game, manager Walt Weiss was noncommittal on whether Acuña would play during the four-game series against the Marlins, saying the turf at Miami's loanDepot Park would be a factor.
“The turf is a little bit tougher on soft tissue,” Weiss said before Monday's game. “Hamstrings, quads, groins — that type of thing. It's a factor. It's not the factor, but it's part of the equation when you're talking about activating somebody.”
Weiss later said the five-time All-Star will play Tuesday, but not every day going forward.
“We’re going to take it day by day,” he added.
Mike Yastrzemski was the right fielder for Monday's game. Acuña was available to pinch hit if needed.
The game was a blowout by the fifth inning, though. The Marlins scored five runs in the fourth and added six in the fifth to hand the Braves their worst loss of the season.
Acuña left in the second inning against the Rockies on May 2 with hamstring tightness before an MRI revealed the strain. He was attempting to run out a grounder before he pulled up about halfway down the line and grabbed at his hamstring.
He said Monday he wanted to return three days after getting injured.
“But you have to follow the protocol with that type of injury,” he said. “It may be considered minor, but it could cost you the entire season. Thankfully, being more experienced helped me through this recovery.”
The five-time All-Star and 2023 NL MVP is batting .252 with two homers, nine RBIs, 17 runs and a team-high seven steals. He had played in the first 34 games this year after a torn ACL he suffered in May 2024 limited him to a combined 144 games over the past two seasons.
The first-place Braves beat Boston 8-1 on Sunday, taking two of three from the Red Sox for their 13th win in 15 series. They have only one series loss, along with the split of a four-game set.
Atlanta also placed infielder Kyle Farmer on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 16, with a strained right forearm.
Tuesday will mark Acuña's first time back at loanDepot Park since winning the World Baseball Classic with Venezuela in March.
“Returning here now you view it differently because of what happened," he said. "This place will always bring me special memories.”
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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