Former National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. will have his surgically repaired left knee examined next week, Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday.
Acuna tore his left anterior cruciate ligament on May 26 and underwent surgery on June 6. The right fielder will be re-evaluated in Los Angeles early next week.
“That will determine his next course of action and kind of amping up his rehab,” Snitker told reporters before the Braves’ Thursday game against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Acuna, 27, has participated in batting practice but hasn’t yet been cleared to run the bases.
“They just have to check him out and sign off on it before they can do that,” Snitker said, “and I think this was just part of the plan initially. I don’t think he’s going to rush it or anything. This has been the case from the get-go.”
Acuna batted .250 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 49 games last season.
In 2023, Acuna was the unanimous MVP as he belted 41 homers and stole a major-league-best 73 bases to post the first 40-70 season in major league history. He batted .337 and led the majors with 149 runs, 217 hits and a .416 on-base percentage.
His historic campaign came two years after he sustained a torn right ACL on July, 10 2021, and missed the rest of that season.
Overall, Acuna is a career .289 hitter with a .379 on-base percentage, a .525 slugging percentage, 165 homers, 417 RBIs and 196 steals in 722 games. He’s a four-time All-Star.
