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On Thursday, Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. shared a snap on his Instagram story, expressing excitement about heading to the Braves' spring training camp in Venice, Florida.
"Here I was born" Ronald Acuna Jr. captioned his Instagram story in Spanish
Heading into the 2024 season, there were huge expectations on Acuna Jr.'s shoulders, as he was coming off an NL MVP award-winning campaign. However, the season ultimately turned out to be a disappointment for the Venezuelan, as a knee injury forced him to miss nearly the entire season.
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Going into the new season, Acuna Jr. will be highly motivated to return to the level that established him as one of the best in the major leagues. The 27-year-old is almost guaranteed to make his much-anticipated return to the diamond in 2025, as long as his rehab progresses smoothly, though there is no word on an exact date yet.
Reports suggest that the star will likely not be on the roster for opening day, as the Braves coaching staff aims to ease him back into action after his long spell on the sidelines.
The Atlanta Braves dearly missed Ronald Acuna Jr.'s presence in 2024
In the 2023 season, Ronald Acuna Jr. finished the regular season with a .337 batting average, 41 home runs and 106 RBIs, recording one of the best individual major league seasons of all time. Losing a player who contributed so much would naturally be a significant struggle for any team.
That's exactly what happened in the 2024 season, as a knee injury sustained in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in May effectively ended Acuna Jr.'s season.
With arguably their best hitter out of action, the Braves' offense struggled to be the powerhouse they usually are when the Venezuelan is fit. The 2024 season ended disappointingly, as Atlanta failed to win their division, the NL East, for the first time since 2017. Though they made it to the playoffs, they were swiftly eliminated by the San Diego Padres.
