Ronald Acuña Jr. rejoins the Braves as they're picking up steam. Jonathan Bachman / Getty ImagesJuly 27, 2026 11:50 am EDT Updated After treading water atop the National League East for the past six weeks without Ronald Acuña Jr., the Atlanta Braves activated their star outfielder from the injured list before Monday’s game against the New York Mets.Acuña is returning from a left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since June 9. A similar injury put him on the shelf for 15 games in May.The time without Acuña, the 2023 National League MVP, tested the mettle of Atlanta’s roster. The club saw its once formidable division lead shrink to two games in the middle of July as the Philadelphia Phillies clawed back from a slow start. But the Braves have played better baseball during the past fortnight, going 7-3 in the second half to restore the division lead to 5 1/2 games.Acuña has been a productive, if less than dynamic, performer this season. When he went on the injured list, he was toting a .793 OPS, with seven home runs and 15 stolen bases in 53 games. He has been less explosive on the bases in recent years after undergoing a second major knee surgery in 2024. Yet his presence in the Braves lineup is still formidable.Outfielder Brewer Hicklen, who went 7-for-19 after being added to the roster a couple weeks ago, was optioned to Triple A to make room for Acuña’s return.
Braves reinstate Ronald Acuña Jr. after 6-week absence
The Braves have recently increased their lead in the division, which shrunk during the earlier weeks of Acuña's absence.
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