Former National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is set to return from the injured list Friday, when the Braves take on the San Diego Padres in Atlanta, according to Francys Romero on Twitter/X.
Both Mark Bowman of MLB.com and David O’Brien of The Athletic suggested the move to activate Acuña from the IL was likely in separate posts earlier Thursday.
Both beat writers noted that Acuña had been scratched from his Thursday rehab game with Triple-A Gwinnett, a likely indicator that his first major league game of 2025 was just around the corner.
As Bowman noted, Acuña tore his ACL almost one year ago — May 26, 2024 — the second season-ending knee injury Acuña had suffered in a four-year span.
In between, the outfielder claimed the National League MVP award in 2023, when he became the first player in MLB history to steal 70 bases and hit 40 home runs in a single season.
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Now, his return will come against the Padres, who coincidentally swept the Braves in a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series last October.
Acuña’s return comes with a poor bit of timing for the Padres.
Thursday in Toronto, they lost their sixth consecutive game in service of their second consecutive series sweep. At 27-21, the Padres will look to make up ground in the NL West against a suddenly stronger rival.
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Acuña, 27, has 165 home runs, 417 RBIs and a .289 batting average in a career that began in 2018. Along the way he’s made four All-Star teams, won a Rookie of the Year award, and three Silver Slugger awards.
For what it’s worth, no National League team has done more to silence Acuña’s bat than the Padres.
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In 18 career head-to-head games in the regular season against San Diego, Acuña has a .739 OPS — 15th among the 15 NL teams.
The Padres are in the midst of a six-game, two-city road trip that so far has seen them lose 2.5 games on first place in the National League West.
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The Padres’ scheduled starters in Atlanta are three of their best: right-hander Nick Pivetta is scheduled to oppose left-hander Chris Sale on Friday. Right-hander Michael King will pitch Saturday against Braves right-hander Grant Holmes. Sunday, right-hander Dylan Cease will oppose Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach.
Now, the Padres’ pitchers will have to prepare to face a particularly difficult opponent.
Acuña played six rehab games between the Florida Complex League and the Triple-A International League. He compiled a .400 average, hit two home runs, and drew seven walks while striking out twice in 22 plate appearances.
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