The Atlanta Braves are expecting a big 2026 MLB season from Ronald Acuña Jr.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is entering another highly-anticipated year with the Atlanta Braves, and the former MVP continues to be one of baseball’s most electrifying players. Since debuting in 2018, Acuña has emerged as one of MLB’s premier power-speed threats, winning National League Rookie of the Year before earning his first top-five MVP finish the next season.
His historic 2023 MVP campaign rewrote the record books with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. That year represented one of the most statistically dominant seasons in league history, and for Acuña it marked a return to form after a challenging stretch of injuries.
Acuña has consistently dealt with notable injuries that have impacted his availability. His 2021 torn ACL sidelined him for a significant stretch, and knee issues resurfaced again in 2024, limiting his time on the field to just 49 games. These setbacks have contributed to him appearing in just 144 games since his MVP season, an unfortunately low total for a player capable of delivering elite numbers whenever healthy.
Even so, Acuña’s long-term trajectory remains that of a franchise cornerstone, and the Braves continue to view him as the centerpiece of their core that boasts several talented players.
Acuña Shares Promising Health Update
On Wednesday, Acuña posted an encouraging update to his Instagram story, showing himself working out and performing a vertical leap exercise. Alongside the video, he included a caption that read, “When they ask about my knee.”
This message signals confidence in how he is feeling physically. For a player whose availability has been one of Atlanta’s biggest questions the last two seasons, this type of post gives fans and the organization reason for excitement.
While offseason workout clips are common across baseball, Acuña’s choice of caption, paired with the explosiveness shown in the video, suggests real optimism about where he stands health-wise. It also comes at a moment when Atlanta could use positive news from its superstar after a disappointing 76-86 season.
Atlanta Looking to Bounce Back in 2026
The Braves are entering 2026 with a desire to reclaim their position atop the National League after a fourth-place finish in the NL East last season. Atlanta fell short of its expectations, struggling to sustain momentum and ultimately failing to meet the standard it set earlier in the decade. Since winning the World Series in 2021, Atlanta has failed to make it beyond the NLDS.
With Acuña working his way back and offering signs of improved health, the Braves could reestablish themselves as contenders in the NL this upcoming season. If he can get back to the availability he had in 2023 when he played 159 games en route to an MVP award, Atlanta could be cooking up something special with Acuña, Matt Olson, emerging young catcher Drake Baldwin and others.