The Atlanta Braves have won five of their last seven games and secured a series victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday with a 3-2 extra-inning win.
Atlanta is currently 62-43 and sitting firmly atop the NL East, despite playing more than a month without superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. after he suffered a strained left hamstring on June 9.
Braves Announce News on Acuna Jr.
On Monday morning, ahead of the Braves beginning a three-game series against the New York Mets, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported major news regarding Acuna Jr., who began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on July 13.
The Braves are officially activating Acuna Jr. on Monday, and he is expected to return to the lineup at Citi Field in a highly anticipated comeback for an Atlanta team looking to climb the NL standings. The Braves still trail the Milwaukee Brewers (66-39) and Los Angeles Dodgers (67-39) for the top two spots in the National League.
Acuna Jr. hit .286 during his four rehab appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett and sat out Sunday after saying he was “ready to go” while speaking with the media Saturday.
Acuna Jr.’s 2026 Season
The five-time All-Star has battled injuries in recent years, but they have not slowed his production when he’s on the field. He has remained one of the best players in the sport year after year.
This season, across 53 games and 195 at-bats, Acuna Jr. has recorded 31 runs, 15 stolen bases, 49 hits, seven home runs, and 22 RBIs while slashing .251/.421/.793.
Braves Right Now
After an injury-filled 2025 season, the Braves have remained relatively healthy for the most part this year, but the pitching staff has still faced some challenges.
Atlanta currently has Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and AJ Smith-Shawver on the IL among its starting pitchers.
This could make the Braves serious buyers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline as they look to add another arm or two to the roster for the second half of the season.
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