Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is heading to the injured list with a hamstring strain, the team announced. Jose Azocar was selected to the roster as a replacement. Atlanta also reinstated right-hander Spencer Strider from the IL. Righty Hunter Stratton is headed back to Triple-A to clear a spot.
Acuna was removed in the second inning of Saturday’s game against the Rockies after a groundout. He was replaced by Eli White in right field. The Braves had an opening on the 40-man, so no corresponding move was needed to add Azocar.
The 28-year-old Acuna is off to a slow start this season by his lofty standards. He’s slashed .252/.362/.378 across 152 plate appearances. Acuna has just two home runs in 34 games. Atlanta’s offensive production has been just fine, though, as the club leads the league in scoring by 15 runs.
The Braves will likely lean on a mix of White, Azocar, and Mauricio Dubon for additional reps in the outfield. Michael Harris II is back from a minor quad issue, so he’ll lock down center on an everyday basis. That leaves the aforementioned trio and Mike Yastrzemski to cover the corner spots. Yastrzemski has a .642 OPS in his career against lefties, so he’ll probably remain in a platoon role.
More to come…
