Ronald Acuna doesn’t know how to go less than 100 percent. That’s in part how he injured himself running through first base in Boston.
It’s now part of the reason he’s yet to begin a rehab stint.
The Braves’ prized 20-year-old outfielder has been on the disabled list since May 27 as he progresses back from a sprained ligament and contusions in his left knee and lower back. He was hurt falling after running full-throttle.
Acuna has amped up his workout activity. There was thought he would be ready to begin a rehab assignment as early as Thursday, but instead the team’s playing it conservatively.
“The past couple days, I’ve been feeling a lot better,” Acuna said through an interpreter. “Turning it up a little bit. I’m definitely excited, and doing those activities, working out ramps me up. Everything in time.”
Acuna hasn’t cut around the bases yet. He hasn’t fielded any grounders. He’s swung from the batting cage as recently as Thursday, but the medical staff needs to see more vigorous movement before signing off on him to begin a rehab assignment.
“Whenever they’re comfortable with him going out, I’ll be comfortable with it,” manager Brian Snitker said. “They’re going to be careful with him. He’s got some boxes to check before he goes out.”
Acuna will have a mild workout on the field and running the bases Friday. The team will accelerate those drills Saturday, the first test to determine if Acuna’s ready for games.
The No. 1 prospect said Tuesday he felt he could play in a game today. Granted, he also said that roughly 24 hours after suffering multiple injuries.
“They haven’t really told me much,” Acuna said of a rehab start date. “Those decisions are for them to make, and I’m waiting for them to say the day I’m going to go out.”
Acuna’s propensity for always exterting all his effort is among the motives for the Braves’ cautious approach.
“One thing the doctors don’t want to do is tell him to go play a game in Rome or Gwinnett and take it easy,” Snitker said. “He doesn’t know how to do that. He’ll end up hurting himself if he tries to do that. When he goes out to play, it’s going to be that he’s full-bore.”
Acuna understands that thought. He singled out “patience” as the chief virtue he’s learned over the past month; though given the anticipation of his long-awaited MLB promotion in late April, it’s not a new concept.
“Going through this process, you start to feel better and you see some players rush the comeback, rush the healing process, and then they complicate the recovery and make themselves worse,” Acuna said. “I’m just being patient and trusting the process.”
