The Atlanta Braves have been rolling in 2026, and with the team posting a record of 60-42 through their first 102 games, they’ve got a comfortable 4.5 game lead in the National League East as they look to close things out over the next two months against tough competition in the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins.
On top of that early success, the trade deadline is upcoming, and if the Braves can play their cards right and upgrade one of the most talented rosters in Major League Baseball, this is a team that may have a genuine shot at the World Series in 2026. One way that they may be able to upgrade is the return of one of the teams biggest stars, and in the latest update from their manager, it appears as though that return is coming sooner, rather than later.
Ronald Acuna Jr. set to Return to the Atlanta Braves
GettyRonald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves.
Ronald Acuna Jr. last played for the Atlanta Braves on June 9th, and since then he’s been sidelined with a hamstring strain, and while the belief was that he could have returned already, the team wanted to be as cautious as possible given how important he is to the team and how often he’s been sidelined in recent years.
Right now, the star outfielder is playing in the minor leagues on a rehab start, and while he will play at Triple-A again on Thursday, manager Walt Weiss has now revealed that he may return on Friday, but at the very least, will be activated on the weekend.
Acuna Jr. would provide a major boost to the middle of the Braves lineup, and when healthy, a lineup that consists of Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Drake Baldwin, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson remains one of the best in all of baseball, especially if Ronald gets back to the form we’ve seen from him in recent years.
Will the Braves be World Series Threats in 2026?
Despite missing Acuna Jr. for well over a month, the Braves have continued rolling with one of the deepest rosters in the sport, and if they can get their star outfielder back to 100%, they matchup well against even the best in the National League like the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers.
Before he was injured, Acuna Jr. was having a down year by his standards, as he was hitting .251 with a .793 OPS across 53 games, contributing 7 home runs and 22 RBI in that time, and while he’s not quite the threat on the base paths that he once was, he can still be a major contributor to a World Series contender at the plate.
Only time will tell whether or not Acuna Jr. can rekindle the form that once saw him hit 41 home runs with 106 RBI, but if he’s even close to playing at that level upon return with a potential upgrade ahead of the trade deadline, this is a Braves team that nobody in the National League should be taking lightly.
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