San Diego Padres' Manny Machado (L) celebrates with teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) after hitting a three-run home run in the ninth inning of the 2024 MLB Seoul Series baseball game 2 between Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 21, 2024. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
Can the Braves or Acuña Survive this Injury?.
The devastating news hit the baseball world like a thunderbolt on a sunny day – Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., the reigning National League MVP, will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after tearing the ACL in his left knee. This is the second time in less than three years that the electrifying 25-year-old has suffered a season-ending ACL injury, leaving the Braves and their fans reeling from losing one of the game’s most transcendent talents.
Acuña’s injury not only impacts the fortunes of the Braves but also sends shockwaves through the entire National League landscape. The Braves must again navigate life without their dynamic centerpiece.
Can the Braves or Acuña Survive This Latest Injury?
The news of Acuña’s second ACL tear in less than three years was met with a collective gasp of disbelief across the baseball community. The reaction was pure heartbreak, not just for Acuña but for the Braves organization and their World Series quest.
Acuna injured his ACL in the 82nd game of the 2021 season, and he would miss the rest of the season; the Braves would go on to beat the Brewers and Dodgers, then take the World Series from the Astros.
When Acuna went down in 2021, general manager Alex Anthopoulos responded with a flurry of aggressive moves, acquiring a platoon of outfielders that included the likes of Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, and Adam Duvall to compensate. They must be aggressive until the trade deadline but have a blueprint to get through this. It’s still the most devastating blow to the organization, losing Strider to his second Tommy John and now Acuna to his second ACL; their best two young players will probably never be the same.
