Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. is IL-bound with Achilles injury

Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. exited the Braves' 9-6 road loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday with a right Achilles ailment that will force him onto the injured list.

After looking uncomfortable at the plate while getting retired in the third and fifth innings, Acuna unsuccessfully chased Vinnie Pasquantino's sixth-inning drive that ended up becoming a ground-rule double.

Braves manager Brian Snitker then sent Eli White onto the field to replace Acuna.

"It's an Achilles thing, it's going to take a while," Snitker said postgame. "He'll go on the IL, and hopefully in 10 days or so it'll clear up."

Acuna said the injury occurred Monday when he scored from first base on Austin Riley's eighth-inning double.

"I'm worried," Acuna said through an interpreter. "It's more pain, but ... I feel it a lot when I try to put pressure on it."

He added that the club asked if he wanted the day off, but he replied, "I've missed so much time already through injuries, I didn't want to miss any more time."

Acuna, the 2023 National League MVP, was selected to the NL All-Star Team for the fifth time this year.

A torn left anterior cruciate ligament ended Acuna's 2024 season in late May, and that injury kept him out the first eight weeks of the 2025 season. He tore his right ACL in July 2021.

Through 55 games this year, Acuna is batting .306 with a .429 on-base percentage, .577 slugging percentage, 14 home runs and 26 RBIs.

In eight major league seasons, all with Atlanta, Acuna has a .290/.383/.528 slash line with 179 homers, 443 RBIs and 200 stolen bases.

--Field Level Media