Braves Facing Backlash for Ronald Acuña Jr. Decision on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Atlanta Braves (51-68) entered Wednesday night's clash with the New York Mets firmly out of the NL wild card race, which is unusual at this point in the season for the franchise. The 2021 World Series winners are on their way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the season before star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. won NL Rookie of the Year honors.
Acuña has stuck with the Braves despite the heavy roster turnover since. The five-time All-Star was once surrounded by prominent players such as Josh Donaldson, Freddie Freeman, and 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler. Now, the squad has a largely different supporting cast.
Second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna are holdovers from the 2021 championship team. They are joined by three-time All-Star Matt Olson, 2022 NL Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II, shortstop Nick Allen, catcher Drake Baldwin and almost an entirely new pitching staff. The only remaining hurlers from the title team are right-hander Spencer Strider and southpaw Dylan Lee.
Acuña won the NL MVP award in 2023 before tearing his ACL last year. He returned in May and earned an All-Star selection, but he has been out since July 29 with a calf injury.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker provided an update about Acuña before Wednesday's game, via The Athletic's David O'Brien.
He said the 27-year-old could come off the injury list in a couple of days. Acuña is slashing .306/.429/.577 with 14 homers and 26 RBIs over 55 games this season.
Braves fans on social media don't see the point of bringing the veteran back and risking further injury at this stage.
Snitker said Acuña could be ready in a couple of days, but that Riley hasn't yet ramped up his workouts and still "feels it" in the lower abdominal muscle strain that's twice landed him on the IL in the past month. #Braves
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) August 13, 2025
"It would be stupid to play Ronnie anymore this season," one said.
"At this point, who cares? Just shut it down, and maybe some of these guys will be healthy next year," another said.
"If only he had something to play for," another said.
"Their season is over. Let him rest," another said.
"This isn’t gonna end well," another said.
Braves Must Weigh Benefits of Rest vs. Reps
The safest option for Acuña's health would be to shut him down for the season. On the other hand, it could be beneficial for the veteran to get game action heading into the fall to prevent rust. Acuña is one of the best players in the world, but no one is immune to getting thrown off their rhythm.
Related: Braves Pitcher Had Concerning 1-Word Message Before Leaving Phillies Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
