Atlanta Braves finally announces Ronald Acuna's return date ahead of clash against San Diego Pedro

Atlanta Braves star pitcher Ronaldo Acuna Jr. is nearing his one-year IL anniversary as he will be making a return to the field soon. According to multiple reports on Thursday, the franchise is expected to activate former NL MVP tomorrow.

When will Ronald Acuna Jr. make his return for Atlanta Braves?

The reports coming out on Thursday were later confirmed by Atlanta Braves as they took to their X account (formerly known as Twitter) to share the return of their star pitcher, Ronaldo Acuna Jr.

La Bestia is BACK.

Acuna Jr. has not been involved in action since last May after getting injured running along the bases. It was also hit second IL stint due to an ACL as he lost tore his other ligament back in 2021.

The timing of his return is perfect for the franchise as they could use a boost in their lineup after having a 24-25 start to the season. Atlanta Braves fell below .500 after losing back-to-back games against the Washington Nationals.

Ronaldo Acuna Jr. will now be available for the upcoming series against San Diego Padres, which will start from Friday, 23rd May at the Truist Park. The Triple-A Gwinnett Stripes gave the green signal after scratching Acuna off the lineup on Thursday. This will give the star pitcher enough time to prepare ahead of his highly anticipated return.

According to NY Times, Acuna told manager Brian Snitker that he is ready to play and is feeling perfect after his first full rehab game in Triple-A. This time around, Braves are being extra careful with Acuna as in 2022, he made his return before time and had to then deal with lingering knee soreness and inflammation.

Injuries to Ronald Acuna Jr. in the past

Ronaldo Acuna Jr. is regarded as one of the best players in the Major League Baseball (MLB). He has four MVP titles to his name and even won the 2023 NL MVP. But the injuries in the past have taken a toll on him as he tore both of his knees, due to which he had to miss lots of games.

In July 2021, Acuna Jr. tore his right ACL. He made a return within 10 months of his rehab. After making his return, he was not fully fit which further displayed in his game. Last year, he tore his left ACL and has been out of action for 362 days as of now.

But, Ronald Acuna Jr. is on his way to full strength. He homered in the first game of his minor league rehab on May 13. He played for six innings going for 1-for-3 at the plate. Before suffering his injury, Acuna Jr. hit .250 with four home runs to his name along with 15 RBIs in 49 games for Braves last season.