After being hit by a pitch, Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. left Monday’s doubleheader finale against the New York Mets.
Mets starter Tylor Megill hit Acuña Jr. with a fastball on the game’s third pitch. It struck the Braves outfielder in an awkward spot on the back of his left arm near his shoulder.
Judging from Acuña Jr.’s reaction, the pitch struck more than muscle.
Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit with a high fastball on the first at-bat of the game and exits with an injury. pic.twitter.com/A8TZOn1Gp6
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) May 1, 2023
Acuña Jr. appeared in great pain as trainers tended to him, at one point pounding the ground. He left the game after a couple of minutes, holding his shoulder.
One of the best players in the game, the three-time All-Star, has had bad luck with injuries. He suffered a torn ACL in July 2021 that sidelined him for the rest of the season, forcing him to miss the Braves World Series championship run.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is off to a blistering start in 2023, hitting .363 with five home runs and an OPS of 1.034. He leads NL position players in bWAR with 1.7, so he’s currently putting up MVP numbers. The Braves’ success is highly linked to his, so losing him for significant action would be a brutal blow.
Braves fans thought the pitch looked intentional.
Braves country: pic.twitter.com/RGXq0HbPbR
— BravesDoresSports2022 (@DoresBraves22) May 1, 2023
Intentional HBP.. always seems to be getting drilled when he’s on a heater
— tabitha hickman (@tabithahickman) May 1, 2023
I love Acuna but he gotta turn the celebration down a notch or they gon keep doin it
— . (@Producer285) May 1, 2023
That pitch didn’t miss. It was thrown at him.
— Anthony M. (@statmaster83) May 1, 2023
That looked intentionally Acuna does well and always gets beamed. Pls be OK I’ll give you my shoulder.
— Michael J Rowañd (@Jrowand888) May 1, 2023
[Bally Sports Braves; Photo Credit: Bally Sports]