The Atlanta Braves may have lost their best player to injury. Ronald Acuña Jr. exited Saturday afternoon's game against the Miami Marlins with an apparent right leg injury after attempting a leaping catch in right field. He jumped for the ball, landed awkwardly, then went down to the warning track in obvious pain.
Acuña was unable to make the catch and the play resulted in an inside-the-park home run for Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm. Here's the video:
Acuña remained on the ground for several minutes and initially attempted to walk off the field under his own power, though he walked with a limp and was in discomfort. Eventually he had to be carted off. After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker said Acuña is currently being evaluated, and the team will know more Sunday.
"It's a right knee. He's being looked at right now and we will probably know more in the morning," Snitker told reporters, including Maria Martin of 11Alive News.
The Braves are already without Marcell Ozuna, who is out with a finger injury and is also awaiting an investigation under MLB's domestic violence policy, and catchers Travis d'Arnaud and Alex Jackson. Abraham Almonte, Guillermo Heredia, and Ender Inciarte are the other outfielders on the club's active roster. Utility men Ehire Adrianza and Orlando Arcia can play the outfield as well.
Acuña, 23, is simply one of the best players in baseball, taking a .281/.392/.593 batting line with 24 home runs and 16 stolen bases into Saturday's game. Fans voted him into the All-Star Game as a starter, and he's having the type of season that will garner MVP consideration.
With Saturday's win (ATL 5, MIA 4), Atlanta improved to 44-33 on the season, and they're 3 1/2 games behind a postseason spot. Needless to say, losing Acuña for any length of time would be devastating to their postseason hopes.
