Acuña Jr. has spent much of the season working back into form, and home run No. 200 would put a useful marker on that uneven return.
Ronald Acuña Jr. has played so much of his career at full speed that a steady climb toward a round number can feel unusual.
His next home run will be the 200th of his career, and he moved within one on Saturday by driving a 2-2 changeup 429 feet.
The Braves lost to Arizona, but a day later, the better reason to revisit it is the road Acuña has taken back to this point.
The Power Has Taken Time
Acuña has dealt with two hamstring injuries this season, and Atlanta activated him again in late July after a long rehab assignment.
His timing didn't return all at once, though the power has become easier to see as he has settled back into regular at-bats.
He described that work during an earlier home run when he said, “I’m feeling better and better every day. I’m working with my hitting coach and the coaching staff in the cage. Baseball is the process. Sometimes you feel good, but you don’t have the results. Now I see the results.”
Saturday's homer was his 13th this season and the 199th of his career, and it was also his 40th from the leadoff spot.
The Milestone
Two hundred homers won't define Acuña, especially for a player whose best season also included 73 stolen bases.
Atlanta has taken care of every physical part of his return after the hamstring interrupted his season again.
The club waited until he could play the field, and an earlier rehab stretch included running and defensive work before activation.
His place in Atlanta's current lineup remains simple even after all the missed time and repeated work back.
The Braves are at their most difficult when Acuña reaches the plate first and makes the middle of the order hit with traffic or an early lead.
Atlanta Needs Him
The next homer could come Sunday or several series from now, and the date won't change much for a player who should pass plenty of larger numbers if his body allows it.
Atlanta will care more about the swing that follows it and whether Acuña can keep his lower half under him through the rest of the schedule.
That is the Acuña the Braves need, even when the rest of the game turns and the homer becomes a small line in a bad final score.
The 200th home run will get the clip and the ball back from whichever fan catches it in the stands.
The next few weeks will show whether Acuña has found a swing he can carry through another full stretch of games.
