Ronald Acuña Jr. draws strength from his successful recovery from his first major knee surgery as he embarks on his second. Despite this, he admits to shedding tears as he comes to terms with the end of his season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, sustained on Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Following the Braves’ announcement on Sunday night that an MRI revealed a complete tear, support poured in for Acuña, the reigning NL MVP.
“I haven’t gotten around to replying to a lot of those messages because they come from a place of support,” Acuña said through a translator. “I just sort of break down and start crying. … I know they just want what’s best for me.”
This marks Acuña’s second season-ending knee injury, having torn his right ACL on July 20, 2021, before making a strong comeback with his MVP season in 2023. Although few players have faced ACL tears in both knees, he feels confident due to his prior experience with surgery and rehab. “I think it has been easier to process this time around because I went through the process two years ago,” Acuña said.
