Ronald Acuña Jr. left the Braves’ 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox in the fourth inning after feeling a pop in his left hamstring. He had just sliced a grounder to third baseman Miguel Vargas and tried to stretch the play to first, then limped off, slamming his helmet in frustration. Eli White replaced him in right field.

The 28‑year‑old’s injury adds to setbacks. A 2021 ACL tear in his right knee and a 2024 left‑knee rupture each required surgery, yet he captured the 2023 NL MVP by blasting 41 homers, scoring 149 runs and stealing 73 bases – the first 40/70 season ever. This year he’s batting .254 with a .798 OPS, seven homers and 15 steals in 52 games.

Acuña’s departure left Atlanta trailing 4-2 when Eli White entered, and the Braves’ win‑probability dipped sharply. The injury follows a brief IL stint last month for a Grade 1 strain of the same hamstring, raising doubts about his durability ahead of the playoff push. Notably, his younger brother Luisangel started at shortstop for Chicago and was on the field when the incident occurred.