Ronald Acuna Jr. Injury Update: Braves All-Star to miss the rest of 2024 season following ACL tear in left knee

Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after what's been reported as a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee. On Sunday, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Acuna Jr. left the game in the first inning.

Following this, Acuna Jr. underwent an MRI, where it was found that he has a complete tear in his left knee, which will require surgery and will have him ruled out for the season.

In the first innings of Sunday's 8-1 win for the Braves, Ronald Acuna Jr. was taking the lead on the basepaths from second base. Suddenly, he fell down and was immediately seen grabbing his left knee, grimming in pain. The trainers came down the field to check on him and they eventually limped him off the field.

Prior to the injury, Acuna Jr. led the inning with a leadoff double. However, as fate would have it, he is now shut down for the season at a time when the Braves were trying to close down the game against the Philadelphia Phillies (38-16), who lead the division by six games over the Braves (30-20).

Ronald Acuna Jr. shares what happened during that play, which left him injured

The initial diagnosis was a left knee soreness, which has now been lifted to a left knee ACL tear. After the game, when reporters got a chance to interact with him, the reigning NL MVP shared how everything unfolded.

“I saw the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher very slow,” Acuna said. “I was timing that so I could steal third. But in that moment, he threw it hard. So I had to come back, and that’s when I felt it.”

This is the second ACL tear for the Braves slugger, with the first time being on the right knee in 2021. Interestingly, this was the same year the Braves won the World Series in his absence.

Ronald Acuna Jr.'s injury will be a huge blow to the Braves, who are hoping for a deep postseason run this October.