Ronald Acuña Jr.'s return to Braves costs former All-Star his roster spot

The Atlanta Braves made it official Friday: the 2023 National League MVP is back.

In a somewhat surprising move, infielder Orlando Arcia — himself just two years removed from an NL All-Star selection — was designated for assignment to make room for outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr's return.

Acuña, the 2023 National League MVP, has been on the injured list since the 2025 season began. In his last full season, the outfielder became the first player in MLB history to steal 70 bases and hit 40 home runs in a single season.

In May 2024, Acuña suffered a season-ending ACL injury. The Braves managed to hang on to clinch a Wild Card berth last October, but they were swept by the San Diego Padres in a best-of-three NL Wild Card Series.

Coincidentally, Acuña's return comes on the same day Atlanta hosts the Padres in the opener of a three-game series.

Without Acuña, the Braves are off to a disappointing 24-24 start — 24-17 since they lost their first seven games of the season.

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Arcia, 30, was batting .194 with a .445 OPS in 14 games. Better known for his defense, Arcia helped the Braves win the 2021 World Series in his first season in Atlanta.

In parts of 10 seasons with the Braves and Brewers, Arcia has hit .241/.294/.373 with 87 home runs, 335 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases.

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