NEW YORK — Ronald Acuña Jr., who’s been on a hitting surge since coming off the injured list, wanted badly to be in the Home Run Derby at next month’s All-Star Game in Atlanta.
And so the Braves star will be.
After saying last week that he would participate in the July 14 Home Run Derby at Truist Park if invited, Acuña got his invite and accepted. The derby is the day before the All-Star Game, which Acuña also hopes to be in and appears to have a good chance based on the most recent fan-voting update.
He has been an All-Star in each of his previous four full seasons in the majors.
Acuña has played all 30 Braves games since being activated from the injured list May 23, after a year-long rehab from knee surgery, and before Wednesday, he was hitting .385 with nine homers and a 1.188 OPS. He led all major-league qualifiers with his .496 on-base percentage since coming off the IL.
It’ll be the third time Acuña has participated in the Home Run Derby, after losing to Mets slugger Pete Alonso by one homer in the 2019 semifinals, and losing again to Alonso in the first round in 2022.
But this one will be special for Acuña for two reasons: It’s in Atlanta, and Acuña has only been back for just over a month following his second ACL surgery. He had the first procedure for a tear in his right ACL in 2021, and tore the left one May 26, 2024, with surgery just over a week later.
Acuña and the Braves were more conservative in his rehab plan this time, stretching it out for an additional 2 1/2 months to a full year.
Unlike in 2022, when Acuña had residual soreness in his right knee that sapped his power and forced him to rest several times due to inflammation, he has shown no lingering effects of surgery this time and says he feels even better physically than he did during his 2023 NL MVP season.
(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)