Can The Atlanta Braves Remain Contenders With Acuña Out For The Season?

The Atlanta Braves have dealt with an injury bug throughout the first couple of months of the 2024 MLB season, but things went from bad to worse on Sunday afternoon.

Can Braves Stay Afloat With Acuña Out For The Year?

Absolutely awful news for Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves pic.twitter.com/VRozdqhKBN

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 27, 2024

During the first inning of their game against the Pirates, reigning unanimous NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. went down with an injury while running the base paths, which ultimately proved to be a torn ACL. The injury effectively ends the superstar’s season, the second time in three years that he has sustained such a devastating injury that cuts his campaign short.

Can the Braves maintain their status as World Series contenders with Acuña now out? They entered the season as one of the favorites atop the odds boards across sportsbooks, and along with the Dodgers were one of the two teams far out in front of the rest of the pack. They’d done well in backing up that notion through the first 50 games of the season, boasting the 3rd best record in the National League and staying atop the odds boards.

Dodgers Are Heavy Favorites, Yankees & Phillies Make Jump

Ronald Acuña Jr. has left today’s game after a non-contact injury on the basepaths

(via @BravesOnBally)
pic.twitter.com/2MEPS7U9OR

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 26, 2024

Their betting designation has taken a hit since the announcement of the extent of Acuña’s injury. According to DraftKings, the Braves now have the 4th-best odds of any team to win the World Series, coming in at +650. The Dodgers remain the favorite at +300, while the Yankees (+550) and Phillies (+600) have now jumped Atlanta.

Acuña isn’t the only star player that the Braves have placed on the injury lists so far this season. The team’s opening day starting pitcher was shelved when Spencer Strider suffered UCL damage in his throwing elbow in just his second appearance on the year, ending his campaign in early April. Third baseman Austin Riley, who has emerged as one of the top hitters in baseball in recent years, has missed the last 13 games with an abdominal issue, as well.

The Braves will enjoy a week of home games as they adjust to a new lineup without Acuña, as they will take on the Nationals and Athletics in Atlanta over the span of the next 7 days. They are currently 6 games back of the Phillies in the NL East.