Geraldo Gilberto of Yahoo Sports reports that the Atlanta Braves have shut down Ronald Acuna Jr. for the remainder of the regular season with a left groin strain, but the team is still confident he will be ready for the NLDS which will almost certainly be played against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Acuna Jr., 21, has been phenomenal in his second year in the league after winning the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018.
In 156 games this season, the outfielder is hitting .280/.365/.518 with 41 homers and 101 RBI to give himself a 5.6 bWAR and 123 OPS+. He was in pursuit of a 40/40 season, but with it now ending due to injury, he will “have to settle” for 37 stolen bases.
The Mets are set to face off against the Atlanta Braves this weekend, but he will obviously not be in the lineup for any of the games.
With the Braves having clinched the division earlier this month, there is no reason to risk anything with regards to the star they gave an eight-year,$100 million extension in the offseason.
