Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. left Tuesday’s game early after he fouled a ball off his lower left leg in the third inning. He immediately went to the ground in pain before getting up and taking a few steps toward the dugout. The injury occurred when Acuña fouled a ball off his lower left leg, which caused him to go to the ground. Although he was clearly in pain, Acuña eventually walked to the dugout under his own power.
The injury happened on a 3-1 cutter from Cincinnati Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson. The ball struck Acuña on the left shin below the knee and just above a protective guard. He was examined by Braves manager Walt Weiss and head athletic trainer George Poulis before leaving the game.
The Braves were already dealing with concerns about Acuña’s availability as they fight for a first-round bye in the postseason. Atlanta had already clinched the National League East before Tuesday’s game. The Braves entered the night four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the National League’s No. 2 seed and the accompanying first-round bye.
His injury comes at a particularly difficult time since he has dealt with multiple leg issues this season already. Acuña had been struggling early in the year but has improved significantly and is now a key player for Atlanta. He was placed on the injured list earlier this season due to a hamstring strain in May. He suffered another left hamstring strain in June and returned from that injured-list stint in late July.
About 30 minutes after Acuña left the field, the Braves announced that X-rays were negative. He was diagnosed with a left shin contusion and listed as day-to-day.
The team will now determine his availability based on how the shin responds over the next several days. MLB reported that Weiss wants his players healthy as Atlanta prepares for the postseason. The Braves are likely to enter the playoffs as the National League’s No. 3 seed and host a best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Acuña had returned from his previous injury and showed strong performance after a slow start to the season. He was given a day off on August 27 before coming back with improved play. The following day he went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored against Colorado. It was his first three-hit game of the season.
Despite the setback, the Braves have not announced that Acuña will miss a specific number of games. His official status is day-to-day.
The Braves are now in a critical stretch of games but have already secured their playoff spot and the NL East title. Atlanta clinched a postseason berth on Sept. 18 and won the division two days later.
His injury is a major concern for the team as they head into the final regular-season contests. The Braves will be watching closely to ensure Acuña avoids further issues before the postseason begins.
Acuña’s performance has been crucial for Atlanta this season, especially after a slow start in March and April. His bat has become especially productive late in the year.
Reuters reported that Acuña was batting .368 with a .429 on-base percentage and a .678 slugging percentage over his previous 23 games beginning Aug. 28. He had seven home runs and 20 RBIs during that stretch. For the season, he was batting .259 with 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases and a .814 OPS entering the latest injury update.
The Braves lost Tuesday’s game to Cincinnati 4-0. Brewer Hicklen replaced Acuña in right field after pinch-hitting during the unfinished plate appearance.
The team is hoping he can return soon to help them make a deep run in the playoffs. Acuña remains day-to-day as Atlanta prepares for its final regular-season games and the start of the postseason.
IMAGE: Ronald Acuña Jr.. Photo: Thomson200 / Wikimedia, taken 2018-09-18, CC0