Ronald Acuña Jr. barely had time to settle back into the Braves lineup before another injury scare stopped everyone cold Thursday night in Miami. Just three days after returning from the injured list, the Atlanta star exited the Braves’ 9-3 win over the Marlins after five innings because of pain in his left thumb. The good news for Atlanta is that initial X-rays came back negative, and the team is calling it a bone bruise rather than anything more serious.
Still, for a Braves club that has spent much of the season juggling injuries, seeing Acuña talking with trainers in the outfield was enough to raise immediate concern.
Acuña Leaves Braves Midgame After Thumb Tightness
According to manager Walt Weiss, Acuña may have hurt the thumb during an at-bat in the fifth inning, although the former MVP admitted afterward that he was not entirely sure when it happened. What he did know was that something suddenly felt wrong once he took the field.
“I went with Raisel Iglesias when I was going to go defend, and then out of nowhere, I couldn’t move my finger,” Acuña said through Spanish interpretation. “It’s not normal when you can’t move it.”
Television cameras caught Acuña flexing his left hand and speaking with trainers before the bottom of the fifth inning began. He initially stayed in the game, but Eli White replaced him in right field in the sixth after the discomfort failed to improve.
“It wasn’t getting any better after being out in the field for an inning, so that is why we took him out,” Weiss said. “But I think he’s going to be fine.”
Braves Continue Battling Injury Problems
The Braves can only hope that optimism holds up. Acuña already missed significant time before returning this week, and Atlanta’s lineup has been battered by injuries across multiple positions. Thursday alone brought another setback when catcher Drake Baldwin landed on the injured list with a Grade 1 oblique strain, opening the door for Acuña to reclaim the leadoff spot.
Before leaving the game, Acuña looked every bit like himself at the plate. He finished 2-for-3, opened the game with a leadoff single, and later drove in two runs with a groundball single to center field during his final at-bat.
Atlanta has relied heavily on Acuña’s energy and production whenever he is healthy, which is why even a relatively minor injury immediately becomes a major storyline for the club.
Acuña Already Pushing To Play Friday
What stood out most after the game, though, was Acuña’s refusal to entertain the idea of sitting out again. Even after trainers evaluated the thumb and the Braves labeled him day to day, the outfielder made it clear he expects to be back in the lineup immediately.
“I am going to play however I am,” Acuña said. “I don’t want to play tomorrow, I am going to play tomorrow.”
Then came the line that perfectly captured both the Braves’ injury situation and Acuña’s mindset.
“I didn’t convince Weiss,” Acuña joked. “He needs to put me in because if not, four outfielders are going to go play.”
For now, Atlanta appears to have avoided disaster. But after everything the Braves have already dealt with this season, even a minor thumb issue involving Ronald Acuña Jr. is enough to make the entire organization nervous.
