Ronald Acuña Jr. will be back tonight

The Atlanta Braves have been playing without their star player, Ronald Acuña Jr., since June 10 due to a strained left hamstring—the same injury that Cody Bellinger of the New York Yankees has just suffered.

But some good news has finally arrived in Georgia, as the Braves announced this morning (Monday) that they have activated the star outfielder for tonight's game against the New York Mets.

We knew it was coming, but now it's official. In a corresponding roster move, the Braves sent outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he had performed very well since making his debut with the team before the All-Star Game.

In six games played for the Stripers so far, Acuña has posted a .263 batting average with an OPS of .638. He has reached base, but has not hit any extra-base hits.

The 28-year-old's return should bolster an offense in dire need of a boost, even though it has rebounded following the All-Star break after a disastrous June and early July.

It remains to be seen how Acuna will be utilized in the coming days; while he is likely to return to his position as the right fielder, the team could also choose to use him as a designated hitter on certain days—especially in more challenging defensive situations or against left-handed pitchers.

The 2023 National League Most Valuable Player has posted a .251 batting average with a .793 OPS in the 53 games he has played for Atlanta this season, a level of production that ranks third among the Braves' position players, trailing only Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson.

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