Ronald Acuña Jr. received heartbreaking news on Sunday night that he will need season-ending knee surgery for the second time in less than three years.

An MRI revealed a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday’s game against the Pirates. This injury means Acuña, the current National League MVP, will face a challenging rehabilitation process similar to the one he went through after tearing the ACL in his right knee in the middle of the 2021 season.

“I hate it for the young men that it affects more than us,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said when asked about the significant injuries some of his stars have suffered this year. “These guys love to play the game. When something like this happens, I hate it.”

Acuña caused sudden panic by shouting and collapsing onto the infield grass between second and third base. After taking a significant lead, he attempted to advance to third base while catcher Joey Bart returned the ball to pitcher Martín Pérez. It appeared that his left knee gave way before he dropped to the ground.

“I saw the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher very slow,” Acuña said. “I was timing that so I could steal third. But in that moment, he threw it hard. So I had to come back, and that’s when I felt it.”

Acuña’s experience of a second major knee injury at the age of 26 is a setback for the baseball community.

Since 2018, he has been recognized as one of the sport’s most exciting players, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award that year. His exceptional skills were once again evident last season, as he became the first player to achieve both 40-plus home runs and 70-plus stolen bases in a single season and was named NL MVP.

Acuña boasts 165 home runs, 196 stolen bases, and a .903 OPS in his career. Through his 26 years, he is the sole MLB player to achieve 145+ homers, 190+ stolen bases, and a .900 OPS. Despite missing time due to injuries, his performance has remained impressive. In 2021, the Braves triumphed in the World Series even without Acuña, thanks to key acquisitions by Alex Anthopoulos.

Acuña’s 2024 season has been a struggle, marked by injuries and a decrease in overall performance.

By Vincent Quezada

Picture courtesy of MLB, Getty Images