The Atlanta Braves are still sitting in first place in the NL East, but it doesn’t feel like it. Not when the Phillies and Marlins keep breathing down their necks and the injury report keeps filling up. Manager Walt Weiss gave updates on two key guys before Tuesday night’s game against the Pirates, and the timeline is a mixed bag.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is the one who could be back soon. Weiss said the star outfielder could start a rehab assignment as early as next week, assuming his hamstring cooperates. That’s a legitimately good sign for a guy who’s been sidelined for a bit and has only played 53 games this season. Acuña’s numbers aren’t blowing anyone away — .251/.373/.421 with seven homers — but the threat he brings to the lineup is about more than stats. Pitchers have to account for him every single at-bat, and that changes how the whole offense operates.
Robert Suarez is a different story. The Braves are taking it slow with his elbow, and Weiss made it clear he won’t be ready right after the All-Star break. Maybe a week or two after that. That’s the kind of vague timeline that makes you wonder if there’s been a setback they’re not saying out loud, but the team hasn’t confirmed anything like that. For now, it’s just a waiting game with a reliever who’s been absurdly good when healthy — a 0.56 ERA across 31 appearances with 26 strikeouts. The guy has been nearly unhittable out of the bullpen.
The Braves have to be careful here. Pushing either guy too fast could backfire in a big way. Acuña’s hamstrings have been an issue before, and Suarez’s elbow is the kind of thing that can turn into a full-blown problem if you rush it. The team is walking a tightrope between staying in contention and not wrecking their guys for the long haul.
The Braves and Pirates were set to play at 6:40 PM EST in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. Nothing official on the lineup changes yet, but with Acuña potentially ramping up soon and Suarez still on a slower track, the next couple weeks will tell us a lot about how serious Atlanta is about holding onto that division lead.
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