Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. could return from the IL for the series in Baltimore

ATLANTA (AP) — Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. could be activated from the injured list and return to the lineup for the team's three-game series in Baltimore starting Friday, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Thursday.

Acuña is scheduled to play Thursday night with Triple-A Gwinnett.

“We're just trying to rack up some at-bats for him so that the timing is there when he shows up,” Weiss said following his team's 6-5 win over the Padres. “There's certainly a chance we can see him in Baltimore.”

Acuña was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on June 9, the second time this season it prompted a trip to the IL. Acuña missed 15 games in May with the same injury.

“A lot of it depends on how he performs,” Weiss said. “He has to feel right about his timing and all that stuff. So I'm hoping he gets a couple of hits tonight and he feels good about it.”

The 2023 MVP has played seven minor league games during his rehab assignment, three with the Braves rookie league affiliate in Florida and four with Triple-A Gwinnett. He's played the outfield twice and on Wednesday was a designated hitter — he was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and a stolen base, aggressively running the bases and appearing to be 100%.

“Physically, he's good to go,” Weiss said. “This is all about him being ready to be impactful when he gets here.”

Acuña is hitting .251/.373/.793 with 15 stolen bases in 53 games. The Braves are 37-16 with Acuña in the lineup and 23-26 without him this season.

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