The Atlanta Braves haven’t had right-hander Spencer Strider and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in their lineup at the same time in more than a year, or since April 5, 2024. That may change as soon as this weekend.
Strider, who has been sidelined by a strained hamstring he suffered in his first start back from elbow surgery, is expected to be activated ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Washington Nationals. He’s slated to start that contest, putting him in line to pitch next on Sunday, when the Braves host the San Diego Padres in a potential postseason preview that’s projected to see him square off with fellow explosive right-hander Dylan Cease.
The Braves’ Sunday lineup could also feature Acuña, who hasn’t appeared in a big-league contest since tearing his ACL last May. He’s been stationed in recent days with Triple-A Gwinnett as he continues his rehab assignment, but appears likely to rejoin the Braves ahead of their weekend homestand, according to MLB.com.
Outside of rehab, Acuña has made some headlines off the field, recently apologizing to Brian Snitker and his Braves teammates after alleging that his manager had a double standard in how he treated him versus other players.
Strider and Acuña are, of course, two of the best at what they do. Strider finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting back in 2023, his last full season. Acuña, meanwhile, won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award that season. The pair combined for just 51 total appearances in 2024, with Acuña bearing responsibility for 49 of those.
The Braves enter Monday with a 24-23 record, putting them five games back in the National League East. Even without some key players, Atlanta has successfully recovered from a dreadful 0-7 start to the season, winning 24 of its last 42 games to right the ship. Caesars puts them at -165 to make the playoffs despite the ugly beginning.