Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Journey Back to the Diamond: A Story of Resilience and Determination
In the world of professional sports, few stories are as compelling as that of Ronald Acuña Jr., the Atlanta Braves’ electrifying outfielder. His journey has been one of triumph, adversity, and an unwavering determination to return to the top of his game. Let’s dive into the details of Acuña’s remarkable comeback story, which has captured the hearts of baseball fans everywhere.
It was a sunny afternoon in North Port, Florida, when Ronald Acuña Jr. met with the Atlanta Braves’ medical staff on May 26. The news was devastating: a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee. For any athlete, this is a nightmare scenario, but for Acuña, it was a familiar one. Just three years earlier, he had suffered a similar injury to his right knee. The emotional toll was immense, and Acuña couldn’t hold back the tears. However, by the time he spoke with his Venezuela-based trainer, Juan Aular, later that night, he had already begun to accept his fate. “We’re gonna do this again,” Acuña told Aular, the man who had guided him through his previous ACL tear. “We’re gonna win MVP again.”
Aular, who had been with Acuña through thick and thin, was moved by his determination. “I got goosebumps,” he said, recalling that moment. The road to recovery was daunting, but Acuña’s resolve was unshakable. He was determined to come back stronger, more focused, and more mature than ever before.
As they embarked on this journey together, Aular noticed a significant change in Acuña. He was more mature, more focused, and more determined to redefine his playing style. Initially, Acuña declared that he would no longer steal bases, a decision that Aular spent weeks trying to change. They worked tirelessly on stabilization, changing direction, and, most importantly, shaping Acuña’s mindset. Aular emphasized that changing his style of play was unnecessary and that toning down his intensity might even be dangerous. Instead, Acuña needed to learn how to pick his spots and play to the situation in the game.
At 27, Acuña has played seven seasons in the major leagues but has only been fully healthy for two of them. In 2019, he hit 41 homers, stole 37 bases, posted an .883 OPS, and finished fifth in National League MVP voting as a 21-year-old. In 2023, he made history with the first 40/70 season in major league history and was a unanimous choice for MVP. Acuña emerged from that year looking like the best, most electrifying player in the sport, perhaps only rivaled by Shohei Ohtani. But the question remains: what will he look like coming off a second major knee operation?
Acuña believes that the combination of good health and more seasoning will make for “an even better player than I was in 2023.” However, he acknowledges the need for a slightly different approach. “I’d rather steal 30 and play the whole season as opposed to trying to steal 70, injuring myself, and missing the whole year,” Acuña said in Spanish.
Striking the right balance between aggression and control is a delicate task, and Acuña’s attempt is especially challenging. The Braves want him healthy, but they also know that the best version of him plays with a hint of reckless abandon. They don’t want to lose Acuña, but they also don’t want him to lose himself. They’re hoping that time will help him find that balance.
- The Braves haven’t announced a return date for Acuña, but if all goes well, he is expected to rejoin their lineup at some point in May.
- By then, his rehab will have lasted about 12 months, two more than the last time.
- His return won’t come with any artificial restraints, either. He’ll play his customary position of right field when he starts, as opposed to getting rest days at designated hitter, and will maintain a green light on the bases.
- Any limits will be self-imposed.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has made it clear that when Acuña is back, he’ll be “full go” and able to play the game he loves. “He’s very competitive, he’s a tremendous base-stealer, and we’re not gonna have any restrictions on him at all,” Anthopoulos said. While Acuña has expressed a desire to be more cautious on the bases, Anthopoulos remains skeptical. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said, adding that Acuña is such a good base-stealer that he will likely find a sweet spot that makes sense for him.
Anthopoulos also noted that Acuña was more “apprehensive and tentative” in the outfield when he returned from a nine-and-a-half-month rehab in 2022. There was fear of a repeat incident, but Acuña also hadn’t spent enough time strengthening his lower half. This time, however, things are different. “He’s much stronger now,” Aular said.
Acuña spent months navigating through the initial stages of his rehab at Elite OrthoSport, a Los Angeles-based training facility recommended by his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Aular then trained Acuña in his hometown of La Sabana from November until the end of January. The Braves’ training staff provided a detailed plan, and the two followed it diligently, taking only Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve off.
By January, Acuña said he started to feel like himself again. As spring training began, he dazzled teammates with prodigious home runs during batting practice, as if he had never left. “He just looks like himself,” Braves center fielder Michael Harris II said. “Still having fun, still being a goofball, still hitting balls over the scoreboard.”
Acuña’s natural talent as a runner is undeniable. He starred as a 400-meter sprinter during his early teenage years and racked up 82 stolen bases in 265 minor league games. In the majors, he has 196 steals from 2018 to 2024, the second-most in the sport despite missing 30% of the games in that stretch. Stealing bases is a major part of Acuña’s identity, and few believe he will let up, even if just a little.
“I don’t think he’ll ever give it up,” Braves first baseman Matt Olson said with a laugh. “It’s the player he is. Yeah, you can choose when you run and stuff, but I bet once he gets back out there, he gets his legs under him, back into playing speed, he’s gonna be the same ol’ Ronald.”
The Braves had their string of six consecutive division titles snapped last season, winning 89 games and just barely sneaking into the playoffs. The New York Mets have since added Juan Soto, and the Philadelphia Phillies continue to be a force, but the Braves will be getting their two best players back: Spencer Strider, who succumbed to elbow surgery after only two starts last spring, should return to the top of the rotation before the end of April; Acuña will return to the top of the lineup shortly thereafter.
Acuña won’t play in any Grapefruit League games, but he has been taking at-bats against Braves pitchers to hone in on his timing. Soon, he’ll be cleared for cutting drills, and a rehab assignment will follow. The reality of playing actual baseball games again has noticeably lifted his spirits.
“You appreciate things more when you have something like that happen,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You realize how blessed you are to have this opportunity to play this game.”
Asked what he learned having gone through this process before, Acuña said, “Patience. Not getting too anxious.” He hopes he’ll be better for it. “I know the type of player I can be,” Acuña said. “I still don’t feel like I’ve gotten to, like, my prime-prime. The most important thing is health.”
Originally Written by: Alden Gonzalez
