Ronald Acuña Jr. hadn’t seen big league action in nearly a year prior to Friday night’s contest between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres.
But on the very first pitch he saw, Acuña showed no signs of rust.
The Braves’ All-Star right fielder, who suffered a torn left ACL in May 2024, opened the bottom of the first with a solo home run. He enjoyed every last second of his 467-foot bomb to center, admiring the long ball as it cleared the fence and soaking in the moment as he rounded the bases.
According to OptaSTATS, Acuña is the first player in MLB history to miss over 150 games, then hit a leadoff home run in his first game back.
The 2023 NL MVP finished the night 2-for-4. Unfortunately for Atlanta, though, Acuña’s homer marked their only run of the contest, as the Padres went on to win 2-1.
Still, Acuña’s return to the lineup is a welcome sight for Braves fans, considering just how good he was prior to his injury.
Acuña won NL Rookie of the Year in 2018, snagged Silver Sluggers in 2019 and 2020, then tore his right ACL in 2021. That prevented him from participating in the Braves’ ensuing World Series run, but he returned to action in 2022 and posted a historic 40-70 campaign in 2023.
For his career, the 27-year-old is a .289 hitter with a .904 OPS, averaging 37 home runs, 33 doubles, 94 RBIs, 130 runs, 44 stolen bases and a 5.8 WAR per 162 games.
Acuña and the Braves will take on the Padres again on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
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