2 min read • February 14, 2022
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Ronald Acuna, the Braves young star outfielder, is eight months removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee, but will likely start the year as the DH.
The 24-year-old suffered the ACL tear on July 10 last year while attempting to catch a ball over his head in right field.
He now faces an uphill climb to return to the potential 40 and 40 player many have projected him to be.
Based on video of his recover process, the ProBaseballDocs project he is still a ways away from returning to his usual form with the Braves.
A November video of him running on a treadmill showed him heavily favoring his right leg. A video of him doing ladder drills in late January also showed him favoring the leg.
His swing looked great in a Jan. 28 video of him hitting in a cage, but he was still off balance at times while swinging.
However, the potential delayed start of the season and the addition of the universal designated hitter will help Acuna in his recovery.
A delayed start to the season would allow him more time to rehab the injury, although the lack of Spring Training at bats may be tough to cope with for a player who hasn't seen live pitching since early July.
The flexibility of the DH will likely allow the Braves to bring Acuna back sooner than expected, since his hitting and running will progress quicker than his ability in the outfield.
Acuna ranked fifth in the national league in range factor in 2019, but will likely have a tough time changing directions in the outfield, depending on when the Braves choose to play him there.
Atlanta used him primarily in right field last season, a trend which will continue when he returns to the outfield.
Guillermo Heredia and top prospect Christian Pache are better fielding options in center field for the Braves next season with Acuna not 100%.
The two-time All Star and former rookie of the year had 41 homeruns and 37 stolen bases in 2019. The ProBaseballDocs project his ceiling this season would be 35 homeruns and 20 stolen bases.
As is typical with ACL tears midseason, Acuna should look better in the second half of the year than the first.
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