At this point, it’s just tragic. Just a year after Ronald Acuna Jr. finally showed his complete potential and won the NL MVP award, the Atlanta Braves star is on the shelf again. Acuna was informed on Sunday night that his season was over in a devastating development. Once again, right when things were looking to get good for this superstar, his body betrayed him.

In a season that was already coming to grips with high pitcher injuries, position players too are joining the list. Players are falling to unexpected injuries from Mike Trout to Ronald Acuna Jr. However, in the case of Acuna, he was once again troubled by an issue that just won’t leave him alone – his injury-prone knees.

During the Braves’ 8-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, Acuna’s routine steal turned into a nightmare for the entire Braves fanbase. The 2023 NL MVP, decided to move towards the third base when suddenly the crowd heard a loud painful scream. Acuna was on the ground and his left knee had buckled under his weight. After that, it just became a game of wait and watch as the entire baseball world awaited his MRI reports. That report turned everyone’s worst-case scenario into a reality – Acuna had a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

As a result, the 26-year-old is set to undergo his second knee surgery in less than three years. That has effectively shut down Ronald Acuna Jr. for the entirety of 2024. The injury shook the Atlanta Braves star, who posted “Sorry” on his X account. As for the Atlanta Braves, they now have another name added to their lengthy injury list. 

“I hate it for the young men that it affects more than us,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said about his team’s injuries (per MLB.com). “These guys love to play the game. When something like this happens, I hate it.” As for Acuna, this is just another stroke of bad luck for the highly talented superstar.

Ronald Acuna Jr. – a combination of high potential and unlucky injuries 

2024 was already shaping up to be a disappointment for Acuna. After the lofty heights of last season, the Braves star was currently averaging just .250 with only 4 homers and an OPS of.716. One can’t help but feel for Acuna who has always struggled with consistency due to his untimely injuries. Every time he gets hot, his body refuses to support him completely. Case in point – An activity he has done 100s of times injured him this time.

“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.” But while this is a loss for Acuna, the Atlanta Braves too are set to suffer. 

They’re currently 30-20 in the NL East. Though a playoff position is almost guaranteed, the team isn’t doing as well as it did last season. Add to that the extraordinary performances from their division rivals the Philadelphia Phillies. Certainly, the Braves have their work cut out for them. And with injuries mounting up, one wonders how the team will cope with the biggest of them all.