Ronald Acuña Jr. Returns to Action with Braves in Triple-A Rehab

Ronald Acuña Jr. Returns to Action with Braves in Triple-A Rehab

The Atlanta Braves announced Friday morning that Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim would be transferred to Triple-A Gwinnett to continue their rehabilitation assignments.

What happened?

Ronald Acuña Jr. strained his left hamstring on June 9, leading to his placement on the 10-day injured list. He has missed more than a month, and in the meantime, the Braves' offense has really struggled without one of its most impactful bats in the lineup.

Why it matters for Ronald Acuña Jr.

Acuña showed off his power with the Braves' Florida Complex League team Thursday, hitting a long grand slam over the left-field fence. It was his only hit in seven at-bats with the team before he was moved to Triple-A.

What comes next?

Ha-Seong Kim is progressing from an injury he suffered in January, when he slipped on ice and tore a tendon in his middle finger while home in South Korea. He missed all of spring training and did not make his Braves debut until May 12. However, after struggling at the plate, the team placed him on the injured list retroactive to July 1, so his stint away from the team has been shorter than Acuña's.

Kim was hitting an abysmal .068 in 82 plate appearances with a .239 OPS. Meanwhile, Acuña had a roller-coaster season while healthy, at times struggling and at other times showing off his elite-level power by hitting five home runs in four games from the leadoff spot.

The Braves had the best record in baseball for a big chunk of the first half of the season, but they ended on a negative note, losing five of their last 10 games and 12 of their last 20. They still hold the advantage in the NL East, but it is narrow, with a 2.5-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Getting both Acuña and Kim back: healthy, I might add: will be a big boost for this Atlanta team and, to use the usual quip, will be just as good as a trade acquisition. That is, unless they make a big splash and trade for Tarik Skubal, a move they are rumored to be interested in making.

In 24 games with the Braves in 2025, Kim hit .253 with three home runs and a .684 OPS. Atlanta badly needs someone to make up for the lack of production from Austin Riley and to support the good seasons being put together by Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, and Matt Olson.

It sounds like the Braves could be a week or so away from getting both Acuña and Kim back with the big league club.

The Braves' offense has struggled without Acuña's power, and his return could be just what they need to get back on track. With Acuña and Kim nearing their return, the Braves are optimistic about their chances of making a deep playoff run.

The Braves still hold a narrow lead in the NL East, but they know they need to stay healthy and focused if they want to make a push for the World Series.

With Acuña and Kim on the mend, the Braves are looking forward to getting them back in the lineup and seeing what they can do.

The Braves' offense has been struggling without Acuña's power, but with his return, they could be a force to be reckoned with.

The Braves are counting on Acuña and Kim to make a big impact when they return to the lineup.

The Braves' chances of making a deep playoff run are looking up with Acuña and Kim on the mend.

The Braves are optimistic about their chances of getting back on track with Acuña and Kim returning to the lineup.

The Braves' offense is expected to get a boost with Acuña's return.

The Braves are looking forward to seeing what Acuña and Kim can do when they return to the lineup.

Category: club_news