FILE - Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (99) delivers in the first inning of baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, April 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
FILE - Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. stands in the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, on Aug. 17, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)
Braves stars Ronald Acu帽a Jr. and Spencer Strider ramping up their injury rehabs
ATLANTA (AP) 鈥 Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acu帽a Jr. and right-hander Spencer Strider are taking important steps this week in their return from injuries.
FILE - Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (99) delivers in the first inning of baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, April 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
ATLANTA (AP) 鈥 Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acu帽a Jr. and right-hander Spencer Strider are taking important steps this week in their return from injuries.
Acu帽a will begin playing with the Braves’ Florida Complex League team in North Port on Tuesday. He has missed almost a full season following ACL surgery on his left knee last year. Acu帽a got hurt last season and had surgery on June 6.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said before Monday night’s game against Washington that Acu帽a will need to play in minor league games following his work in North Port.
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鈥淗e’s starting his march back,鈥 Snitker said. 鈥淚t will be good to just get him running around in the outfield again and getting him at-bats.鈥
Atlanta’s offense has missed Acu帽a, the team’s leadoff hitter and 2023 NL MVP. Entering Monday night’s opener of a four-game series against the Nationals, the Braves had scored three or fewer runs in five of their last six games.
Acu帽a was limited 49 games last season. He hit .250 with four homers in 2024, one year after hitting 41 home runs with 73 steals and a .337 batting average.
Strider will throw a simulated game in Atlanta on Wednesday. Snitker said the Braves could better control Strider’s work in the simulated game than if he pitched in a minor league game.
The Braves hope to have Strider throw 70 to 75 pitches in five innings.
Strider made just two starts last season before UCL internal brace surgery on April 12, 2024. Strider finished fourth in 2023 NL Young Award voting and was an All-Star, going 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA and a major league-best 281 strikeouts.
Strider returned from the elbow surgery when he pitched five innings in a at 海角社区官网on April 16. The right-hander was on April 21 after straining his right hamstring.
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鈥淭he hamstring is good to go,鈥 Snitker said.
The Braves will be able to create situations for Strider to field bunts and cover first base in the simulated game.
鈥淭hen we’ll evaluate him after that,鈥 Snitker said, adding a minor league rehab start has not been ruled out.
鈥淲e need him to be able to go 85 pitches or maybe 90 when we decide for him to start a game,鈥 Snitker said of Strider’s return to the Atlanta rotation.
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