Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, weather permitting, per the Athletic’s David O’Brien (via Twitter).
That’s obviously great news for the Braves, who have been without their star outfielder since July 10th of last season. Acuna Jr. played in 82 games in 2021, almost exactly half the season, slashing .283/.394/.596 with 24 home runs and 17 stolen bases across 360 plate appearances. When healthy, there’s little doubt that he is one of the most electrifying talents in the game.
A healthy Acuna Jr. could potentially take over in center, though the Braves preferred to use him in right field in 2021. Adam Duvall has been Atlanta’s primary centerfielder this season, and he’s held his own defensively. Eddie Rosario and Marcell Ozuna have primarily been in the corners with Alex Dickerson, another corner outfielder, getting at-bats as the designated hitter. Someone from that group is going to lose at-bats when Acuna returns, with Dickerson the likeliest to find himself on the bench.
