Ronald Acuña Jr. Exits Braves-Reds Game With Shin Contusion, X-Rays Negative

Ronald Acuña Jr. gave the Atlanta Braves a scare Tuesday night, September 22, fouling a ball off his left shin in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds and dropping to the ground in visible pain at Truist Park.

Acuña was facing Reds left-hander Brandon Williamson on a 3-1 count when he swung and sent the ball into his own leg, just above a protective guard, according to the Associated Press. He grimaced, pulled himself up, limped a few steps, and went back down to his knees before manager Walt Weiss and the team trainer reached him.

He eventually walked off the field under his own power and headed to the clubhouse for X-rays. The Braves announced the X-rays were negative and diagnosed him with a left shin contusion, listing him as day-to-day, according to the Associated Press, USA Today, and Field Level Media.

Brewer Hicklen finished Acuña's at-bat and took over in right field.

Acuña has already missed significant time this season. He's dealt with two separate stints on the injured list for left hamstring strains, part of a run of injuries that limited him to 49 games in 2024 and 95 games in 2025, according to Newsday and Field Level Media. Newsweek also noted he missed time in 2025 with Achilles inflammation after returning from a longer-term knee injury. A player who has repeatedly broken down in the same leg over multiple seasons naturally makes fans and beat writers brace for worse news even after a clean X-ray. Newsweek's coverage leaned hardest into that angle, framing Acuña's injury history as a real concern for the Braves heading into October.

X-rays were negative, the team called it day-to-day, and Acuña walked off the field on his own, which the Associated Press, USA Today, Newsday, and Field Level Media all reported plainly. Day-to-day contusions from foul balls are common in baseball and typically resolve within days, not weeks.

The playoffs are one week away. The Braves (92-64) have already clinched the NL East, their seventh division title in the past nine years, according to the Associated Press. Entering Tuesday's game, they sat four games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (96-60) in the race for the National League's No. 2 seed and a first-round bye, according to Field Level Media, meaning Atlanta is currently on track to open the postseason hosting a best-of-three wild card series.

Acuña has been arguably the hottest hitter in the sport over the past month. Since returning to the lineup August 28, he's hit .368 with a .429 on-base percentage and a .678 slugging percentage, adding seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 98 plate appearances, according to Field Level Media. That stretch included a grand slam during a weekend sweep of the Houston Astros, according to the Associated Press.

For the season, the 28-year-old 2023 NL MVP is batting .259/.352/.462 with 20 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases across 104 games — the most he's played in a season since his historic 40/70 campaign in 2023, according to Newsweek. He also picked up his third career 20-homer, 20-steal season, according to Sporting News.

The Braves have not announced whether Acuña will be in the lineup for Atlanta's remaining regular-season games. With the wild card round set to begin roughly a week out, the team has some room to rest him if trainers see any lingering swelling or stiffness. No further imaging or updated status has been reported beyond the initial X-ray results and the day-to-day designation. A bruised shin could cost Acuña a game or two of the regular season, or it could linger into October. Atlanta's margin for error with its two-hole hitter has already been thin all year.