The Atlanta Braves received some promising news from their spring training camp in North Port, Florida on Thursday. Superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and ace pitcher Spencer Strider, both recovering from significant injuries, are making excellent progress in their rehab and targeting early-season returns to action.
Acuna “Checking All the Boxes” After Torn ACL
For Acuna, the unanimous 2023 NL MVP, this will be his second comeback from a torn ACL in the last few years. The 27-year-old dynamic outfielder suffered the injury last May, ending his spectacular campaign in which he was posting MVP numbers. On Thursday, Acuna took live batting practice on the field with teammates for the first time since surgery.
Manager Brian Snitker had glowing reviews of what he’s seen so far from his superstar, telling MLB Network that Acuna is “checking all the boxes” and “doing great” in his rehab. While the Braves will certainly be cautious with Acuna’s ramp-up, all signs point to him being ahead of schedule.
Rare Talent Looking to Recapture MVP Form
When healthy, few players in the sport can match Acuna’s breathtaking blend of power and speed. In his unanimous MVP season in 2023, the outfielder authored a season for the ages:
- .337 batting average
- 41 home runs
- 73 stolen bases
Acuna’s 40-40 season made him the first player in MLB history to pair those power and speed numbers with at least 70 steals. If his recovery continues on this trajectory, Acuna could be poised to recapture that MVP form and give the Braves a huge jolt early in the season.
Strider Starts Throwing After Elbow Surgery
Meanwhile, Spencer Strider, who had a breakout season for Atlanta in 2023, is also on the mend. The 26-year-old flamethrower underwent surgery last April to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, prematurely ending a spectacular season.
Despite being limited to just 32 starts, Strider still authored a dominant season that established him as one of the game’s elite starters:
| STATS | TOTAL |
| Wins | 20 |
| WHIP | 3.86 |
| Strikeouts | 281 |
On the first day of camp, Strider already threw his first side session off the mound. Snitker came away impressed, saying that the “ball’s coming out really good” for his young ace. While Opening Day will likely arrive too soon for Strider, he’s clearly ahead of schedule and appears poised to give the Braves rotation a huge shot in the arm at some point in April.
Potential Cy Young Winner and All-Star Poised to Return
We’re going to make two really big trades at some point in time early in the season and get, you know, an All-Star and a potential Cy Young Award winner back.
– Brian Snitker on Acuna and Strider
The way Snitker phrased the impending returns of his two stars underscores just how impactful they can be. A perennial MVP candidate in Acuna and a budding Cy Young contender in Strider would represent franchise-altering additions for practically any other club. For the loaded Braves, it could be the boost that puts them over the top in a highly competitive NL East.
Braves Betting Favorites in Rugged NL East
Even without Acuna and Strider for the initial stages of the season, the Braves are currently the betting favorites to capture their sixth consecutive NL East crown. The prospect of those two superstars joining an already stacked roster has to be a terrifying thought for the rest of the division.
Thursday’s news out of Braves camp should be music to the ears of Atlanta fans. With Acuna taking mighty cuts in BP and Strider already firing bullets off the mound, a boost from two franchise cornerstones may arrive faster than initially anticipated.
