Ronald Acuña Jr. took two shots from Washington pitching on Monday night and did not make it through the full game, but early tests at least brought the Braves some relief.
The Atlanta superstar was hit by a pitch twice at Nationals Park and was removed in the sixth inning. The Braves said X-rays on Acuña's hand came back negative and listed him as day-to-day. He stayed in after the first plunking in the fourth inning but did not return following the second hit-by-pitch.
Acuña was first struck on the hand by a Jake Irvin fastball in the fourth, took his base and later came around to score on a Drake Baldwin RBI double. In the top of the sixth, he was hit again and this time was replaced by Eli White in right field. As noted by Atlanta News First, it was his second hit-by-pitch of the night.
How it unfolded
MLB.com's highlight package shows Acuña coming off the field after the top of the sixth and confirms that the sixth-inning plunk was indeed his second of the game. The brief clip provides the clearest look so far at the fourth-inning hit and the subsequent exit, as posted on MLB.com.
Bench warnings and team update
Things stayed mostly under control, but tempers were clearly on the umpire's radar. Braves right-hander Bryce Elder later hit Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, which prompted home-plate umpire Erich Bacchus to issue warnings to both dugouts and try to shut down any brewing retaliation angle.
The Braves reiterated that X-rays on Acuña's hand were negative and that he is considered day-to-day, according to Atlanta News First.
Where this leaves Atlanta
Even with a growing injury file that includes Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, Ha-Seong Kim and Sean Murphy, Atlanta has opened the year at 15-7 and holds an early lead in the NL East. That combination of a banged-up roster and legitimate contender status is the backdrop for a cautious approach with Acuña, according to ESPN and the league's injury tracker.
The Braves are expected to monitor Acuña closely over the next 24-48 hours as trainers review scans and run follow-up tests. For now, the club appears to be playing it safe with its MVP-caliber outfielder while the team continues its road series in Washington.
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