Phillies Rivals Atlanta Braves lose Acuña Jr for season with torn ACL

The Philadelphia Phillies will not see Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. for the remainder of the season as the Braves announced that the reigning National League MVP has a complete torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.

Acuña Jr. left early in Sunday’s game after suffering a non-contact knee injury while on the base paths.

At the time, the Braves hoped it was a minor injury. But after photographing the knee on Sunday, they learned his ACL was torn. This will require surgery and we will keep Acuña Jr. off the field until next season.

The Phillies have a six-game lead over the Braves heading into this week’s game. Philadelphia (38-16) has the best record in the National League as they prepare to open a road series with the San Francisco Giants on Monday.

Acuña helped the Braves win the 2021 World Series and won the league MVP award last season by becoming the first player in MLB history to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 70 bases in one season.

But the Phillies have been a thorn in the Braves’ side in the playoffs the past two seasons. Philadelphia has beaten Atlanta in each of the last two meetings.

With his injury, the Braves will have a hard time finding a way to replace the slugger’s offense.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, might have a more forgiving path in the NL East.

The closest team to the Phillies in the NL East is the Washington Nationals, who are 13.5 games behind. The New York Mets are at 15 games and the Miami Marlins are at 19 games.

While we can’t close the book on the division race, if the Phillies continue to play at the level they are currently playing, it will be difficult for any team to catch them.

The Braves could also look to the trade market to replace Acuña in the short term.

But, for now, one of the best players in baseball has finished his season.