Acuña's Return to Braves Showing Best Is Yet To Come

Despite coming off his second knee surgery, the Atlanta Braves might have the best version of Ronald Acuña Jr. right now

The vibe has just been different with Acuña back | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's been only two games since Ronald Acuña Jr. returned to the Atlanta Braves lineup and the electricity is surging into Truist Park. The fans and players alike all felt the energy.

"When he hit that first-pitch homer, it kinda gave me the chills," Braves right-hander Grant Holmes said. "But everyone knows what kind of player he is. He's gonna come out and be a phenom."

While the Braves haven't won every game Acuña has been back for (they've split the two games), Holmes felt that the superstar still provided some spark to the lineup and dugout.

"I'm glad that he's getting off the ground good," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "That's tough when you haven't played in a year. I don't care how many at-bats you got in the minor leagues. I don't care how many complex at-bats you got. This is a different animal up here."

Snitker agreed that the longer rehab was good for Acuña to get back into shape. He also credits the 2023 National League MVP for knowing what to do since he's overcome this adversity before. He might be looking the best he's ever had in the eyes of his manager.

"To me, he's in the best shape of his life," Snitker said.

In nine at-bats, Acuña is batting .333 with a 1.333 OPS, two home runs and three RBIs. His two home runs were hit 467 feet and 427 feet. They came off the bat at 115.5 mph and 111 mph. Fewer signs could better indicate that he's healthy.

ICYMI: Ronald is BACK 💪@Delta | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/stxtizRbsD

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 25, 2025

The ability to make a strong play in the outfield in his return was another surefire sign. He hadn't even played much in the field during his recovery as way to help his knees heal. It didn't matter.

We haven't even seen him swipe a bag yet. The good part is that it's arguably gone unnoticed. He hasn't had to steal bases because his bat and fielding are MVP-caliber.

Snitker said that Acuña is expected to be back out there on Sunday for the third straight day. With the way he's been playing, how good he feels and having the offday right after, he's comfortable making that decision.