If you’re a Braves fan, you’ve been checking your phone a little more often lately — not for final scores, but for status updates. Two of Atlanta’s biggest stars — Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider — are still working their way back, and while the return date for either remains a mystery, the hope is growing by the day.
Let’s get into it — injuries, rehab progress, and why the Atlanta Braves are still very much in this thing.
Acuña’s Comeback: Slow, Steady, and Structured
We’ll start with the MVP. Ronald Acuña Jr., baseball’s human highlight reel, is down in North Port, Florida, putting in the hours. He’s doing drills, hitting in live BP, and — finally — running again after getting the green light from doctors in Los Angeles.
It’s all part of a carefully choreographed routine aimed at strengthening his left knee, the one that gave out in his second career ACL tear. “Just doing the drills and strengthening exercises and running around and all that,” said manager Brian Snitker.
That’s Snitker-speak for “we’re getting there.” Once Acuña builds up his strength and proves he can go full throttle without a setback, he’ll begin a rehab assignment. From there, it’s just a matter of when the Braves feel comfortable putting him back atop the lineup.
And make no mistake — his return changes everything. The outfield has been patchwork since Opening Day. Profar? Suspended. Kelenic? Optioned. De La Cruz? In pinstripes now. Right now, Alex Verdugo and Eli White are holding the fort, but once Acuña is back, someone’s moving.
Probably White — who, in fairness, could shift around thanks to his shortstop background — but Acuña is the sun this Braves universe orbits around.
Strider’s Status: Still Flat-Ground, Still Frustrating
On the pitching side, it’s Spencer Strider who remains in limbo. After undergoing UCL surgery, he returned for a single start — and looked pretty decent, tossing five innings of two-run ball against the Blue Jays.
But before he could take the mound again, boom — Grade 1 hamstring injury. It wasn’t dramatic, just one of those freak soft-tissue things that happen when a body is still ramping up.
Right now, he’s playing catch, still on flat ground. No mound, no intensity. Just stretching it out and rehabbing. Snitker made it clear: no timeline until they see him throwing off a mound again.
“He’s just playing catch,” Snitker said. Yep. That’s where we are. Once Strider’s up on the slope and showing good mechanics, the Braves can decide whether to bring him straight back or send him through a rehab assignment.
Either way, when he’s ready, he’s not just another arm — he’s their guy. The rotation has held its own, but let’s be honest — it’s better with Strider terrifying batters every fifth day.
Braves Rotation: Holding the Line, Barely
The Braves rotation has had its moments. Chris Sale looks like a guy who remembered he used to be dominant. Bryce Elder has found some rhythm again. AJ Smith-Shawver is back and giving the team innings.
But there’s some turbulence under the surface. Reynaldo López might be lost for the season. Once a postseason hero, Ian Anderson is still in Triple-A working on command. It’s a thin tightrope, and while the offense can carry a lot of weight, having Strider healthy and firing would shift the balance of power back toward Atlanta.
The NL East: Still Up for Grabs
The Mets and Phillies aren’t messing around. They’ve gotten out of the gate hot, and the Braves are chasing — not leading — for once. But they’re not fading. In fact, they’re 9-3 over their last 12, and they’re doing it while missing two All-Stars.
This Braves team, as currently constructed, is surviving. But with Acuña’s swagger and Strider’s firepower, they could be thriving — maybe even surging. The NL East isn’t just a division; it’s a brawl. And Atlanta knows the difference between making the playoffs and winning the division is massive.
Not If For the Braves, Just When
There’s no panic in Atlanta. Just patience. The kind of patience you have when your reinforcements aren’t “role players” are two of the best in the league at what they do.
And when they’re back? Look out because that’s when the real Braves show up.
