BOSTON -- Ronald Acuña Jr. enhanced excitement about his impending return when he homered for Triple-A Gwinnett in Saturday night’s game against Charlotte at Coolray Field.
Acuña energized the suburban Atlanta crowd when he drilled lefty Tyler Schweitzer’s slider over the center-field wall in the third inning. The shot traveled a projected 420 feet per Statcast and came off his bat at 102.1 mph.
This was Acuña’s second homer since beginning his rehab stint with the Florida Complex League team on Wednesday. His homer against a 19-year-old hurler in his third season at the Rookie level just indicated he truly was ready to conclude the year-long rehab he’s experienced since tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in Pittsburgh on May 26.
Acuña has continued to deliver offensively while playing for Gwinnett each of the past three days. He went 2-for-3 with a double on Thursday, drew a pair of walks in four plate appearances on Friday and went 1-for-1 with the homer and four walks on Saturday.
After playing six innings in right field his first two games with Gwinnett, Acuña served as a designated hitter on Saturday. There has been no indication what his schedule will be over the next few days. All Minor League teams are off on Monday.
If the Braves want Acuña to continue playing rehab games in Georgia, he could do so with Double-A Columbus, which begins a homestand on Tuesday. The assumption is he’ll be activated by the time Atlanta begins it next homestand on Friday against the Padres.