The Atlanta Braves have been cruising for much of the 2026 season thus far, and with the trade deadline now just a week away, this team have the opportunity to solidify themselves as not only a World Series contender, but a potential favorite in the National League.
To truly be contenders against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers however, this is a Braves team that needs to get back to 100%, and on Monday, they took a huge step towards that. After Ronald Acuna Jr. was officially activated from the Injured List, Manager Walt Weiss has officially announced his return, revealing Acuna’s role as the Braves begin a series with the New York Mets.
Ronald Acuna Jr. Leading off Against the Mets
GettyRonald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves.
While Acuna officially returned to the Braves, it was unclear what his role would be as he looks to get back to 100% and confident at the big league level, the Braves have wasted no time in giving him a crucial role for the organization once again.
As we expected, Acuna Jr. is set to play right field in his return game, but he’s also in arguably the most important position in the Braves lineup, as the 28-year-old is set to hit leadoff for the Braves against one of their key division rivals.
While the Braves were stumbling for a while heading into the All-Star break, they’ve found their momentum as of late, winning eight of their last 11 games as they currently sit at 62-43 with a 5.5 game lead atop the National League East division standings. As for Acuna, he comes back after a slow start to the 2026 season that last saw him play on on June 9th, with the multi-time All-Star hitting .251 with a .793 OPS through 53 games to go along with seven home runs and 22 RBI on the season.
Can the Braves get Back to the World Series in 2026?
With Acuna back in the lineup, this once again looks like one of the best lineups in all of baseball, with the former MVP being surrounded by the likes of Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson, Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies.
However, it’s not going to be as simple as him sliding back into the lineup, as the injuries over the past few seasons have gradually built up, with Acuna not being the player he once was as he will now need to adapt to that to provide value for Atlanta in a way that he potentially isn’t used to doing.
On paper though, this is a deep, balanced lineup to go along with a very solid pitching staff, and if Acuna can get back to the MVP caliber player we’ve seen him be before alongside potential upgrades at the trade deadline, this is a Braves team that should be considered every bit a World Series favorite as the likes of the Dodgers and Brewers in the National League.
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