Let’s talk about what’s going down with the Atlanta Braves. Ronald Acuña Jr., the 2023 National League MVP and one of the most electrifying players in MLB, is on track to return—but the Braves are playing the long game here.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos gave some insight on MLB Network Radio about how the team is handling Acuña’s return, and let’s just say they’re not cutting corners.
The Key Takeaway
When Acuña steps back onto the field, they want him at full throttle—not half-speed, not “easing in,” but ready to perform at the elite level we all know he’s capable of.
And that means no designated hitter duty to start the season. That job belongs to Marcell Ozuna, and Atlanta has no plans to shake things up by shifting Ozuna back into the outfield.
They didn’t even entertain that idea last season when they were stretched thin on outfield depth. Instead, they rolled with Jorge Soler.
No DH Experiment— Acuña Will Play the Outfield
The Braves have clarified that Acuña’s return isn’t about finding a temporary fix. It’s about getting him back where he belongs.
That means he’ll be roaming right field, not cycling through at-bats as a DH. While it might seem like a cautious approach to ease him in with limited defensive work, the Braves don’t see it that way.
They believe that giving him more time to heal properly before he returns is the best way to ensure he’s dominant from day one.
A Familiar Road Back—With a Smarter Approach
We’ve seen this story before. Acuña came back from an ACL injury in 2022, playing 119 games—92 in the outfield, 27 as a DH.
The numbers? Respectable but not spectacular: a .266/.351/.413 slash line with 15 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. Good, but not Acuña good.
The difference this time is that Atlanta isn’t rushing him back just to have him in the lineup as soon as possible. They saw what happened when he wasn’t fully himself, and they’re not making that mistake again.
What to Expect When Acuña Returns
Even with a careful approach, projections suggest that Acuña will be just fine once he’s back in action.
FanGraphs has him slashing .291/.379/.510 with 26 home runs and 74 RBIs in 128 games. That’s much more in line with the superstar-level production Braves fans are used to.
Acuña is expected to go through a full Spring Training, giving the team plenty of time to assess where he’s at physically.
With fellow star Spencer Strider following a similar recovery plan, the Braves are making sure that when their best players step back onto the field, they’re ready to take over.
If these projections hold up, Atlanta’s patience will pay off—and the rest of the league better be ready.
