Ronald Acuña Jr. exited the Atlanta Braves’ 9-3 victory over the Miami Marlins after five innings on Thursday night due to discomfort in his left thumb, prompting concern shortly after his return from the injured list. Braves manager Walt Weiss later confirmed that Acuña suffered a bone bruise, with X-rays coming back negative, placing the star outfielder in a day-to-day status.
Acuña Exits Game After Thumb Pain Appears During Fifth Inning At-Bat
The injury appeared to develop during Acuña’s fifth-inning at-bat, though the exact moment remains unclear. After taking the field in right field following the inning, he was seen communicating with the training staff while repeatedly examining and flexing his thumb. Despite attempting to continue playing, his condition did not improve, and he was ultimately removed from the game in the sixth inning, with Eli White taking over defensively.
Even after the game, Acuña expressed optimism about his availability, insisting through interpretation that he intended to play the following day against the Washington Nationals. He described a feeling of tightness in his finger and noted that he could suddenly not move it normally while on the field, something he said he had never experienced before. He also downplayed the severity, emphasizing that he expected to be fine moving forward.
Acuña’s Strong Offensive Performance and Determination Despite Late-Game Thumb Injury Setback
Before exiting, Acuña had a productive performance at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a leadoff single in the first inning and later driving in two runs with a groundball single to center field. His offensive contributions helped power Atlanta’s comfortable win despite the mid-game injury scare.
Thursday’s game marked only his second appearance back in the outfield after previously serving as a designated hitter earlier in the series. His return also saw him resume his role at the top of the batting order following Drake Baldwin’s placement on the injured list due to an oblique strain.
Manager Walt Weiss expressed cautious optimism, stating that Acuña initially hoped the issue would improve after coming off the field but acknowledged that it worsened during play. Despite the setback, Weiss expressed confidence that the injury would not keep him sidelined long-term, reinforcing the day-to-day outlook.
Acuña himself remained determined to stay in the lineup, even joking after the game that he intended to push to play unless coaches held him out.