Ronald Acuna Jr. Grabs at His Hamstring and Limps Off in Denver: MRI Coming

Ronald Acuna Jr. left Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies early with left hamstring tightness, and it could not have come at a worse time for Atlanta. The 2023 National League MVP grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up while running out a grounder he hit in the second inning at Coors Field. He limped off the field under his own power after the team's medical staff examined him on the spot.

Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters after the game that Acuna will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. The timing is brutal: Acuna led off the game with a single and scored on a Drake Baldwin home run, but that single inning might be all Atlanta gets out of their star in this matchup.

The Numbers Tell an Early Season Story

Acuna is hitting .252 with two homers and nine RBIs through 34 games this season. Those are not the numbers we are used to seeing from a guy who won the NL MVP just three years ago. If he ends up on the shelf with a hamstring issue, the Braves lineup loses a lot of pop and speed at the top of the order.

Eli White replaced Acuna in right field and is hitting .196 with two homers and eight RBIs in 20 games. Not exactly an ideal backup option when you need to lean on depth.

What Comes Next

The Braves pulled out a 9-1 win over the Rockies in Denver on Saturday, but the injury overshadowed the blowout victory. Now all eyes are on that MRI and what the results show. Every Braves fan is holding their breath waiting to hear how serious this is.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.