Any sport is at its best when its stars are healthy. That is why baseball took a hit on Sunday when Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Acuna has not been off to his usual hot start to the year. A year removed from winning the NL MVP, Acuna has slashed only .250/.351/.365 with four home runs and 16 stolen bases, a far cry from his 41-homer, 73-stolen base, 1.012 OPS season from a year ago.
Sadly for baseball fans, the Braves and Acuna, injuries have marred the young career of the star outfielder. He has dealt with various ailments just about every season, with only two campaigns in which he has played in more than 119 games. The injury he suffered in 2024 also marked the second time in his seven-year career he has had a campaign end early due to an ACL tear.
The Braves' star is one of baseball's most dynamic talents, possessing a rare combination of power and speed that makes him a thrilling player to watch whether he's stepping up to the plate or just reaching base. Losing him to a season-ending injury will be a major blow to the Braves in 2024 and yet another unfortunate chapter in the injury history of the elite star.
Sporting News is taking a look at Acuna's injury timeline from his rookie season to his torn ACL in 2024.
MORE: Latest news, updates on Ronald Acuna Jr.'s knee injury
Ronald Acuna Jr. injury history
— May 2018: Acuna Jr. was off to a solid start to his rookie season with a .779 OPS, five home runs and a pair of stolen bases through the first 29 games of the season. But on May 28, he was diagnosed with a mild ACL sprain and contusion in his left knee that wound up sidelining him for just over a month. Acuna came back and went on a rampage, ultimately winning Rookie of the Year and finishing 12th in MVP voting despite being limited to only 111 games.
— May 2019: One of Acuna's two 150-plus game seasons came in 2019, but that doesn't mean he wasn't still plagued with a few injuries. The first that came up was a back injury that set him down for a game on May 5. Though he returned to the lineup on May 6, he took a while to heat up again. Over eight games after the injury, he posted a meager .194/.242/.419 slash with two homers.
— July 2019: The next injury of 2019 was more of a freak accident for Acuna. He collided with the knee of Phillies shortstop Jean Seguar while sliding into second base on a stolen base attempt. He laid on the ground for a minute before getting up. He was removed from the game with neck stiffness. Following the contest, he said that after having time to relax, he called it "a little stiff and a little sore," but said it would be fine. He was in the lineup the next game for the Braves and did not miss much of any time.
— September 2019: The Braves had secured a spot in the playoffs as the No. 2 seed when playing the Royals in late September. Acuna chased a fly ball in the outfield in the second inning of the contest and felt tightness in his left hip, causing the team to remove him from the game. He was described as being only day-to-day, but with just four games left, he did not return for any regular-season contest until the playoffs.
— August 2020: The 2020 season was already reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Acuna wound up dealing with a number of minor injuries that sidelined him for several more games.
The first was a wrist injury that had him scratched from the lineup on Aug. 11. The injury lingered through much of August as he did not return to the starting nine until a doubleheader on Aug. 26.
Next came a hamstring injury on Aug. 31 that cost him several more games, though not quite as many. He was absent from the lineup until a doubleheader on Sept. 4.
— September 2020: And there was still more to come in 2020 in the third month of the season. On Sept. 11, he had to be removed from the game with a bruised left ankle. X-rays showed there was no fracture, and he returned to the lineup the next game.
Then in the season finale, Acuna was scratched with irritation in his wrist. He returned in time for the playoffs.
— April 2021: The 2021 campaign was another marred by injuries, including what had been his worst to date. The first injury, suffered on April 19, was less severe. He was removed from the lineup with an abdominal injury and was listed as day-to-day. Acuna did not return to the lineup until April 23.
— May 2021: Acuna suffered a pair of injuries in May 2021. He was hit by a pitch that left him with a contusion on his left pinky on May 8, and he was removed in the seventh inning. He returned to the lineup the next day.
Acuna then had an ankle injury on May 13 that again caused him to leave the contest early. He missed several games with the ailment before returning as a pinch hitter on May 16 and starting in the lineup again on May 17.
— June 2021: Acuna was removed in the fifth inning of a game on June 13 as a precaution when he felt pectoral tightness. The Braves were off the next day and he was in the lineup for the June 15 game against the Red Sox.
He sustained what would be the first of two back injuries in 2021. On June 23, he was not listed in the lineup due to the ailment. He missed that contest and the game on June 24 before returning to the lineup on June 25.
— July 2021: The back flared up again for Acuna on July 1, though it was a much more minor injury. He was not in the lineup to start the game, but entered late as a pinch hitter in the eighth. He was in the lineup the next day.
The big injury came on July 10. He attempted to make a leaping catch in right field on a fly ball from Jazz Chisholm Jr., but landed awkwardly in the outfield and his right leg buckled under him. Through he began to walk off the field on his own, he eventually needed a cart to take him out. It was eventually reported he had torn his right ACL, ending his 2021 season.
The Braves responded by making a flurry of moves, acquiring Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario, all outfielders who played a major role in winning the 2021 World Series for Atlanta.
Acuna did not return to the field until April 28, 2022, for the Braves.
— May 2022: It did not take long until Acuna was sidelined with another injury. After playing in 10 games in 2022, Acuna was left out of the lineup with a groin injury. He missed five games until returning to the lineup on May 17.
Only eight days later, Acuna sustained a quad injury that kept him out of the lineup on May 25. He also missed the team's game on May 26 with the ailment, but returned as a pinch hitter on May 27.
— June 2022: Acuna was out of the lineup on June 1 as he was listed as having a knee injury, but he returned in the next game. He then suffered a foot injury against the Dodgers on June 25 that left him out of the lineup until July 1, missing four games.
— August 2022: There were a pair of minor issues that caused Acuna to miss time in August 2022. The first was a lower body injury on Aug. 7, though he later entered the game as a pinch hitter.
He was then removed from a game on Aug. 13 with a knee issue, though he returned the next day as a pinch hitter for the Braves, drawing an intentional walk.
— September 2022: Late in the 2022 campaign, Acuna was listed as having a back injury on Sept. 22. He missed three games against the Phillies before returning for the series finale on Sept. 25.
— May 2023: For the most part, Acuna enjoyed a fully healthy 2023 campaign. He played in 159 games, his most as a big leaguer, though there were still a few minor injuries. The first was a sore shoulder, which came on May 1 when he was hit by a pitch in the second game of a doubleheader. He was removed from the game in the first inning.
Next came on May 4, when Acuna left a contest with the Marlins after fouling a ball off his left knee in the sixth inning. With both injuries, Acuna returned the next game.
— August 2023: Acuna was hit on the elbow by Pirates reliever Colin Holderman and left the game in the sixth inning. He was considered day to day after X-rays came back negative, but he did not wind up missing any time.
— September 2023: Facing the Marlins on May 15, Acuna appeared to come out of the box awkwardly after grounding out in the top of the eighth. He was removed from the game the next half inning with a calf injury. Acuna missed the next two games with the calf injury before returning on Sept. 18.
— May 2024: The second devastating injury of Acuna's career came on May 26 against the Pirates. Acuna was taking his lead at second base when he pivoted awkwardly back to return to second base. His left leg buckled underneath him, and he fell to the ground.
Acuna was able to walk off on his own after trainers came out to talk with him. By the end of the day, it was reported he tore the ACL in his left knee, ending his season after just 49 games. It marked the second time in his career he lost a season to a torn ACL. It also means he has now torn the ACL in both his knees.
