Atlanta Braves Projected Roster After Ronald Acuña Jr. Injury

Atlanta Braves fans are officially in a panic after star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a scary non-contact left knee injury against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The slow-motion replay only made things worse, leaving everyone in disarray.

The Braves later announced that Acuña was removed from the game due to “soreness” in his left knee, leaving us with little information on the severity of the problem. However, from the looks of it, we can expect a stint on the injured list.

So, the next question is: How does Atlanta fill the void left by the reigning National League MVP? Acuña is having a rough year by his standards, but has been consistently productive and is obviously an integral part of the Braves’ future. He is batting .246/.348/.356 with four home runs, 15 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 221 plate appearances this season.

Your guess is as good as ours. But moments like this appear to be a reason the Braves returned for a third stint with the club’s veteran slugger Adam Duvall this offseason after a year-long separation.

Duvall, 35, is a former All-Star, World Series champion and Gold Glove winner. Even though he may not be at the top of his game, he is useful. He has a .208/.311/.351 slash line with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 90 plate appearances.

Alternatively, Atlanta could slide 33-year-old designated hitter Marcell Ozuna into the outfield, where he spent the early part of his career. But he seems comfortable in his role, leading the National League in home runs (15) and RBIs (47).

Whatever the Braves decide, they better hope it keeps them afloat in the NL East race. Sitting at 30-20, they trail the MLB-best Philadelphia Phillies (38-15) by 6.5 games in the division standings. However, reinforcements could soon arrive in the form of All-Star wide receiver Sean Murphy. He could be back in the lineup any day after a brief 10-day IL tenure.