Ronald Acuña was out of the Braves’ lineup for the third consecutive game Tuesday. Acuña has right-knee soreness, but previously said he expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday’s series opener against the Rockies. His absence marked his fourth consecutive day off because the Braves didn’t play Monday.
Acuña, who tore his ACL last summer, has dealt with nagging injuries throughout the season. He described his recent soreness, which is part of the recovery process, as “pretty intense.” The pain has come and gone throughout the season, and the Braves have managed him accordingly.
“He’s better,” manager Brian Snitker said, adding Acuña was treated during Monday’s off-day. “Things had calmed down a lot, so we’re just going to take it day to day for a while and see if we can’t get him right. It is getting better, so that’s good.”
Asked about his level of concern, Snitker responded: “I’m not concerned. We have time. If we were starting the playoffs today, there’d be no hesitation in putting him out there. I could tell in St. Louis (over the weekend), watching him limp around, that it was bothering him. So we’re trying to calm it down.”
It’s largely been a trying season for Acuña, despite the player making his third All-Star appearance before turning 25. He’s still been productive, hitting .274 with a .774 OPS while adding 25 stolen bases on 35 attempts.
The Braves are being cautious with their leadoff man, hoping he’s feeling his best come October.
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