Ronald Acuna Jr. has placed his return to baseball on the front burner as the 2023 National League MVP says his surgically repaired left knee is 90-95 percent healthy.
That’s a pretty swift recovery considering he tore the ACL in the knee approximately 8 1/2 months ago.
“I feel great,” Acuña told reporters on Friday. “When they tell me I need to be there that day, I’ll be there.”
Acuna sustained the injury while running the bases against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on May 26.
The time frame for Acuna’s return isn’t yet determined, but the Braves have indicated that the 27-year-old won’t play in any Grapefruit League games during spring training. Atlanta opens the season on March 27 at the San Diego Padres.
“Once we get to the end of camp, we’ll have a better idea on a time frame,” Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “But the big thing for us is just making sure when he’s back, he’s full go and he’s back to the elite player he’s always been.”
This is the second torn ACL of Acuna’s stellar career. He tore the right ACL in July 2021 when he was playing the outfield.
Once he was fully recovered in 2023, Acuna put together a one of a kind season that included 41 homers and 73 stolen bases for the first 40-70 campaign in big league history.
He also batted .337 while winning the MVP in unanimous fashion.
Acuna allowed that he might not be able to steal as many bases moving forward after having ACLs in both knees repaired. But he’s expecting to quickly be mentioned again among the top players in the game.
Acuna recently saw that MLB Network listed him at No. 16 on their best players in the game list. It didn’t bother Acuna at all.
“That’s fine,” Acuña said. “Last year, I couldn’t play. But if I stay healthy this year, I’ll be in the Top 10 next year.”
–Field Level Media
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