Ronald Acuna Jr. received a bold prediction before his ninth season with the Braves.
The Atlanta Braves have spent the offseason reloading, determined to return to the playoffs in 2026 and prove that last year’s 76–86 record was nothing more than an outlier. While the front office has been aggressive in making moves to strengthen the roster, the team’s foundation still rests on its internal talent. At the center of that core is right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr., whose impact remains unmatched.
Acuna returned in 2025 after his second ACL tear and continued to perform at an elite level. The 28-year-old superstar posted a .290 batting average, a .417 on-base percentage, a .935 OPS, 21 home runs, nine stolen bases and 42 RBIs across 95 games. His production earned him National League Comeback Player of the Year honors and another All-Star selection, a testament to his ability to bounce back despite missing significant time. At the plate, he looked every bit like the MVP-caliber hitter fans have come to expect.
Still, his mobility was clearly hindered. The nine stolen bases he recorded last season were far below his usual standards, especially for the only player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in the same season — his historic 2023 MVP campaign. That drop-off raised questions about whether Acuna could ever again be the dynamic dual threat who terrorized pitchers and catchers alike.
However, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman recently predicted that Acuna could return to being a base-stealing force in 2026, though perhaps at a slightly reduced level.
“There’s an expectation Acuna will run less frequently to protect his two surgically repaired knees. So, instead of predicting he’ll match the 40/70 season he had in 2023, we’ll lower expectations and predict he will record what would be just the seventh 40/40 season in AL/NL history. Acuna and Shohei Ohtani will both enter 2026 with a chance to become the first player to ever have a pair of 40-homer, 40-stolen base seasons,” Bowman wrote Wednesday.
There is reason to believe this prediction has merit. Acuna has been sharpening his game in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason, and through his first 16 appearances he has already totaled 11 stolen bases. That early success suggests he is regaining confidence in his legs and could once again become the electrifying baserunner who changes games. Improved mobility would also benefit his defense, where limitations last season reduced his effectiveness in the outfield.
If Acuna can combine his MVP-level bat with renewed speed and defensive sharpness, he has a legitimate chance to reclaim his place as one of baseball’s very best players — and perhaps capture another MVP award while leading the Braves back to contention.