Great Expectations? – Fans Pick Ronald Acuna Jr. As Pre-Season Favorite For National League MVP As Star Sees Return From Injury

Ronald Acuna Jr. is set to see a return to the diamond this year and the fans are excited. His return to the sport has managed to generate enough buzz around the event that a recent survey has even found him topping a survey on being the pre-season favorite to bag the NL MVP Award by Fox Media.

With a solid swing in his locker, the Atlanta Braves will be eager to see him perform and get maybe even win them the pennant again.

The Atlanta Braves had a memorable season in 2021. Despite some great highs including a World Series win, the 2022 off-season also saw them see a few lows. With the exit of talisman first baseman Freddie Freeman and World Series MVP Jorge Soler, they will be eager to find someone they can pin their hopes to.

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And in walks Ronald Acuna Jr. With his return from injury set for the Opening day, the expectations are sky-high.

Ronald Acuna Jr. – Too much pressure to deliver?

The outfielder was enjoying a great season in 2021 but had a tumultuous time after suffering an ACL injury in his right knee. And while he has been largely absent from the Braves’ spring training lineups, he is expected to make it into Opening Day. And the fans are clearly excited.

It has been postulated that the advent of the Universal DH may also have helped along with Acuna Jr. and his early return as he may be able to feature without bearing any outfield responsibilities to start the season. However, whether he will make it back in time for the opening day remains a question.

With Acuna Jr. undoubtedly the only bona fide ‘star’ on the Atlanta Braves after the exit of Freddie Freeman, the front office will want to be careful about the athlete. And while Acuna was making progress consistently, he is not expected to be rushed back. As of now, the rehab schedule for Acuna Jr. remains limited. While it includes hitting, no other baseball activity is apart as he is still in rehab.

Acuna proclaimed “I’m ready” when the Braves opened camp on March 16. He is expected to eventually play right field, come to Opening Day; however, he may take the field as DH while still in rehab. In either case, he will be raring to go.

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But how do you think Acuna Jr. will fare this season? Could he have an MVP caliber year? Or do you think there is still some time before Acuna Jr. ascends to that quality of a player still?