Ronald Acuña Jr. is back.
The Braves announced Thursday they reinstated Acuña from the injured list and designated outfielder Alex Dickerson for assignment.
Atlanta also announced Acuña is in the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Cubs, playing right field and batting leadoff. Acuña was originally expected to continue his rehab assignment through the weekend.
Acuña’s return is nine months removed from tearing his ACL last July vs. Miami. He missed all of the Braves’ World Series run and has spent the beginning of this year recovering from the injury.
Originally, Acuña was expected to return in May, but his performance during rehab and the Dickerson’s slow start may have expedited the process. In just six games in the minor leagues this year, Acuña has a .941 OPS in 25 plate appearances, while Dickerson only had four hits in 36 plate appearances for the Braves.
Atlanta has an 8–11 record to start the season, and it currently sits in fourth place in the NL East. Despite the difficult start, the Braves are unlikely to panic considering the circumstances of last year’s World Series run. Atlanta did not surpass a .500 record until after the All-Star break in 2021.
