Ronald Acuña Jr. DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) won't play in any spring training games but might serve as the designated hitter in some games on the backfields. There has been no discussion of Acuna DHing at all during the regular season once he comes off the injured list, and the team won't have any timetable until late spring for when he might come off the IL. Acuna is way ahead of the same stage of his previous ACL recovery, but he also said he's planning to "take it easy" on the base paths after tearing his left ACL last May. It was the 27-year-old second torn ACL -- he tore his right ACL in 2021. He said he's running at around 90-95% and feels more stable than when he came back after his first surgery. Not only will Acuna not be running as much, but he's expected to miss around the first month of the season. It's why he's fallen to No. 26 overall in RotoBaller's fantasy rankings.

The Athletic's David O'Brien writes that the Atlanta Braves will be careful not to rush outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) back this year to avoid a repeat of 2022 when he played with lingering soreness and had diminished power and confidence after he tore his right ACL in July of 2021. Acuna tore his left ACL in 2024 and had surgery in early June. He talked his way back into the lineup nine months after his previous surgery, but this time Acuna said he'll leave the decisions entirely up to the medical staff to determine when he's ready to resume playing. The Braves won't include him on the Opening Day roster in 2025 to try and protect Acuna from himself. A return in late April or early May seems like the most reasonable timetable, which would give him around two extra months to rehab compared to his first ACL tear. Despite the fact that he'll miss time, Acuna ranks as RotoBaller's No. 26 overall player in 2025.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) is expected to miss the first month or so of the 2025 season while recovering from ACL surgery on his left knee, which is the second ACL surgery after he tore his right ACL back in 2021, according to The Athletic's Dennis Lin and David O'Brien. Acuna's recovery is part of the reason the Braves signed outfielder Jurickson Profar to a three-year, $42 million deal on Thursday. Atlanta plans to use Profar in left field and have Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz compete in right field until Acuna returns. When Acuna eventually returns, he'll likely require more days off than usual as the Braves play it cautious with the superstar outfielder. The 27-year-old four-time All-Star and former MVP put up beastly number in 2023, hitting 41 homers, driving in 106 and stealing 73 bases, but his lower-body injuries are piling up and making him a much bigger fantasy risk. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 33 overall player coming off his second ACL tear.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) looked good taking batting practice in his home country of Venezuela earlier this week in a video that was posted by a professional baseball academy in Venezuela on Instagram. Acuna suffered a second ACL tear, this time to his left knee, at the end of May of last season and missed the rest of the year. It's good to see the 2023 National League MVP, four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger and 2018 NL Rookie of the Year swinging the bat before this offseason, but there's still a good chance he won't be ready to go for Opening Day in 2025. In 2023, Acuna was the first player in MLB history to hit 40 homers and steal 70 bases. The 27-year-old is an elite ballplayer, but ACL tears to both of his knees in a three-year span brings along plenty of risk for long-term sustainability.

According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and starting pitcher Spencer Strider (elbow) are not expected to be ready by Opening Day. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said, "We're planning on not having them on the Opening Day roster. How soon after that, we'll see how that goes. And as we get closer and get into spring training, we'll probably be able to update." Fantasy managers should continue monitoring their progress during the offseason and Spring Training; they could potentially sit out significantly during the 2025 season. Acuna suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last May, while Spencer Strider underwent an internal brace procedure in April. During the 2023 season, Acuna captured the NL MVP by hitting a stellar .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 733 stolen bases. In the same season, Strider finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting with a 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 281 punchouts across 186 2/3 innings of work. When healthy, both players are elite fantasy assets and would have been consensus first-round selections in all fantasy formats.