Until last night, it had been 362 days since Ronald Acuña Jr. last played in a Major League Baseball game. It also marked nearly 600 days since he was regarded among the elite players in the league. With Acuña back in the Atlanta Braves lineup on Friday, the first of those two timelines has officially reset. However, the question remains: can he reclaim his previous level of performance? His comeback could not have started in a more promising manner, as he launched the very first pitch he faced for a solo home run 467 feet into the bleachers against the San Diego Padres. The Braves will closely monitor Acuña's progress over the rest of the season, and the stakes are significant. Despite recovering from an 0-7 start, the Braves currently hold a 24-26 record, trailing 5.5 games behind the New York Mets and 8.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. The team is counting on Acuña to be the player he was in 2023, a season in which he was highly regarded and even ranked as the top player in the league by analysts.

Acuña's journey has been fraught with both achievements and setbacks. At just 27 years old, he has already received accolades such as Rookie of the Year, MVP, and four All-Star selections. In his first 723 career games, he amassed 166 home runs and 196 stolen bases, distinguishing himself in a unique category. However, Acuña has endured the challenge of recovering from a torn ACL twice, and his recovery from his first injury is a significant factor in why his standout 2023 season stands apart from his performances over the past three years. Upon returning in 2022 after his right knee injury in 2021, he played 119 games, posting a .764 OPS, with 15 home runs and a stolen base success rate of 29-for-40. His metrics reflected a decline, leading him to admit he was not fully healthy. Just ahead of the 2024 season, Acuña’s right knee began to show signs of distress once again, provoking speculation about how much this might have impacted his .715 OPS and 0.0 rWAR in the 49 games before he sustained another ACL tear, this time affecting his left knee.

Given the experiences of 2022, there are concerns that Acuña may require additional time to fully adapt and get back to form throughout the remainder of this season. Furthermore, Acuña has expressed an intention to be cautious regarding his knees, confirming a commitment to playing safely on the basepaths. 'I'd rather steal 30 and play the whole season as opposed to trying to steal 70, injuring myself and missing the whole year,' he said in March. Nevertheless, Acuña could potentially regain his former stardom without relying solely on his speed if his batting continues to showcase the prowess displayed in 2023. His ability to lower his strikeout rate from 2022 has been notable, and his performance against various pitch types has been impressive. Even during his minor league rehab assignments, Acuña produced commendable numbers, hitting 6-for-15 with two home runs and seven walks against only two strikeouts. Such offensive contributions would be invaluable for the Braves, especially with Acuña slotting back into the leadoff position, an area where Atlanta's previous options had struggled, showing a dismal .237/.279/.324 slash line with only two home runs. A successful reintegration could solidify Acuña’s return to the elite ranks of MLB players, despite an evolving landscape that has seen new talent emerging alongside established stars like Aaron Judge and others.