The Atlanta Braves placed Ronald Acuña Jr. on the 10-day injured list Wednesday after an MRI confirmed a strained left hamstring, according to The Associated Press.
Ronald Acuña Jr. Injured Against White Sox
Acuña was hurt Tuesday night during Atlanta's 10-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox. AP reported that the Braves right fielder pulled up limping while trying to beat out a grounder in the fourth inning and was removed from the game.
The Braves had the injury checked by MRI on Wednesday. Manager Walt Weiss told MLB.com it was a Grade 1 strain, adding that the club would have been waiting too long and playing short-handed if it tried to manage the injury without an IL move.
The decision gives Atlanta roster cover while Acuña recovers. It also removes one of the Braves' most important players from the lineup at a point in the season when minor soft-tissue injuries can become larger problems if rushed.
Second Left Hamstring IL Stint This Season
This is Acuña's second injured-list stint of the season with a left hamstring strain. AP noted that he was also on the 10-day IL from May 3-18 after sustaining a similar injury while attempting to run out a grounder.
Weiss said the latest injury does not appear as severe as the previous one, but still needs time. The Braves did not announce a specific return date in the AP report.
The repeated location of the injury is the detail Atlanta will watch most closely. The club can live with a short absence more easily than a rushed comeback that creates a longer one.
Atlanta Braves Adjust MLB Roster
The move comes after Acuña had been active in recent Braves games, including the Pittsburgh Pirates series referenced in AP photo captions from June 5 and June 6 in Atlanta.
For the Braves, the roster math is straightforward: a 10-day IL move preserves flexibility while the medical staff lets the hamstring settle. For Acuña, the immediate priority is recovery rather than squeezing through a few compromised at-bats.
Atlanta's lineup changes from here will depend on how the club fills the outfield and how quickly Acuña's left hamstring responds. The first step, at least, is clear: the Braves have chosen not to wait this one out with a short bench.