MIAMI — If Atlanta Braves fans held their breath when Ronald Acuña Jr. was taken out of Thursday’s 9-3 win over the Miami Marlins because of thumb pain, that’s totally understandable. Acuña just returned from the injured list this week, plus offensive catalyst Drake Baldwin was sidelined with an oblique strain two days ago.
It appears Braves fans can breathe easy. Although he had been unable to move his left thumb, X-rays came back negative not long after he was replaced in the bottom of the sixth inning. Afterward, he already expected to be in the lineup when the Braves open a series with the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on Friday.
“I didn’t have to convince Walt (Weiss, the manager),” Acuña said in Spanish. “Or else we would have four outfielders playing in the field.”
Acuña recently missed two weeks with a hamstring strain, but his absence didn’t keep the Braves from winning games. A strong offense, powered in part by Baldwin, helped them maintain the best record in the majors.
With Baldwin now on the injured list, Acuña’s presence is even more crucial.
“There’s a lot of excitement when he’s in the game,” Weiss said. “Because he might do something you haven’t seen before.”
Look no further than the first inning Thursday for proof. Acuña opened the game with a routine ground ball off Sandy Alcantara — likely one of the trade deadline’s most coveted pitchers — but beat the throw from short with a sprint speed of 30 mph. Five pitches later, Acuña greeted Michael Harris II at home with a “making it rain money” celebration after scoring on his teammate’s two-run homer.
Acuña went 2-for-3, knocking in two runs with another single off Alcantara, before exiting the game.
Despite not being able to field all their top contributors, the Braves have built a 9 1/2-game lead in the National League East.
“It’s going to be fun when we get back to full strength at some point,” Weiss said.
In the meantime, there are plenty of other players stepping up.
Yaz remains hot
Mike Yastrzemski felt pressure in April, when he hit .179 with five RBIs and a .474 OPS. The 35-year-old has felt freer since, and it’s showing up at the plate.
Thursday, Yastrzemski got to within a triple of hitting for the cycle. He didn’t get a chance to accomplish the feat because Weiss, who said he didn’t realize the lefty-hitting Yastrzemski was on the verge of the cycle until after the game, chose a right-handed hitter to face left-hander Cade Gibson when Yastrzemski’s spot in the order came up in the eighth inning.
The decision wasn’t a reflection of Yastrzemski’s production, as he has batted .283 with eight RBIs and a .896 OPS in May and has had some impactful hits. His homer against the Chicago Cubs gave the Braves an early lead on May 12; he walked off the Boston Red Sox, his famed grandfather Carl’s old team and he was an integral part of the Braves taking three of four games in Miami.
“(I was) trying to do too much early on in the year,” Yastrzemski said. “I was trying to impact games, maybe when I don’t need to, and just play my own game. I think that’s part of being on a new team and trying to establish yourself.
“Sometimes the harder you try, the harder it gets. You just have to let the game come to you, and you can’t create the opportunities. You have to just be ready for them when they come.”
Dominic Smith’s chaotic dash around the bases this week is already the stuff of legends. (Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
Smith’s consistency keeps paying off
Dominic Smith isn’t known for his speed. So by the end of Wednesday night, his run around the bases to secure a Little League homer had become the talk of both the clubhouse and his group chats.
“I looked at my phone. Family members already texted me memes of me laid out, me running,” Smith said. “It’s fun when you’re winning.”
As memorable as the chaotic dash around the bases was, Smith hit a home run earlier that represented the consistent impact he’s made in Atlanta’s lineup over 40 games. Smith battled Marlins starter Janson Junk for 11 pitches before getting one he could drive in the sixth.
“I was really conscious of getting the barrel to that heater inside and not taking it or not being late,” Smith said. “But then he hung a curveball, and I was able to just really ride my swing through it and left the park.”
The ability to grind through plate appearances has helped fuel one of the most productive stretches of Smith’s career. Smith entered Wednesday with a .978 OPS as a designated hitter — the best mark among National League DHs with at least 25 games at the position, and second in the majors to Yordan Alvarez.
