Ronald Acuna Jr. Talks Braves, MLB Home Run Derby, Call of Duty, More in B/R Interview

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. is a man of many talents, as evidenced by a resume that includes five All-Star selections, NL Rookie of the Year award, NL MVP and a World Series ring in eight MLB seasons.

It also speaks volumes about Acuña's skill and dedication that he has done most of that coming off two ACL injuries, with the most recent one occurring in May 2024, that could have derailed his career.

"Obviously, it's not an easy process," Acuña told Bleacher Report through interpreter Gabriella Garces about rehabbing from left-knee injury that ended his 2024 season after just 49 games. "It's more difficult the second time around, but having that experience from the first time it happened made it a little bit easier."

Whereas the 2021 injury only took Acuña nine months to recover from, he said this one took a full year but the additional time was beneficial because it allowed him to come back "better and stronger."

If there was any doubt about Acuña's ability to get right back in the swing of things, he wasted no time putting those fears to rest by crushing the first pitch he saw this season over the centerfield wall at Truist Park.

"I was really, really happy, to get back on the field and hit that home run. All that was going through my mind was how happy I was," Acuña said of his 467-foot blast against San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta.

Acuña's return has been a highlight in an otherwise disappointing season for the Braves thus far. Their streak of seven consecutive playoff appearances looks to be in jeopardy with a 40-52 record entering play today.

Despite being under .500 at the moment, this isn't unfamiliar terrain for some of Atlanta's key players.

In 2021—the season Acuña tore the ACL in his right knee—the Braves were under .500 entering August before going 36-19 to win the NL East and carrying that momentum all the way to a victory in the World Series.

Despite some of the issues thus far, Acuña remains optimistic that things will improve for the team going forward.

"We've had some hard moments," Acuña said. "It's a really difficult sport, but our mentality is just always going out to win the game. ... We just have to take it day-by-day and go out every day looking to win."

There is some good news on the horizon for Atlanta, as the city will be hosting the 2025 MLB All-Star festivities. Acuña will be playing for the National League in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday after being voted as a starter.

Acuña originally committed to taking part in the Home Run Derby, but it was announced on Friday night he will be replaced in the field by teammate Matt Olson.

Being able to serve as the unofficial host of All-Star week as the biggest star on the Bravs, Acuña said it "means a lot" to be able to represent the organization and share the field with other top stars in MLB in front of his hometown fans.

The All-Star break comes at an opportune time for Acuña to catch up on his other passion beside baseball: Call of Duty. The 27-year-old has made no secret of his love for the popular game franchise.

Acuña has partnered with Call of Duty: Mobile with a special bat named after him that will be featured in the game. The "La Bestia" bat can be unlocked between now and July 17 when players take out 13 enemies using any melee weapon.

"I've been playing for a long time with my brother and friends," said Acuña. "I'm thankful that now I can collaborate with them and to have my own bat now."

Source: Activision

"La Bestia" is the nickname that was bestowed on Acuña in 2019 after he hit a walk-off homer in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He flipped his bat into the air and declared "Yo soy la bestia" while yelling into the Braves dugout.

The moniker "La Bestia" was even the title of a song by Niko Eme that was released in November 2023 after Acuña was named NL MVP.

Asked to pick between the bats he uses during MLB games or "La Bestia" in Call of Duty: Mobile, Acuña couldn't do it even though he acknowledged "they're both great bats."

His .910 career OPS ranks fifth among all active players.

The Braves superstar is hitting a robust .324/.441/.581 with 11 homers in 42 games this season. Among players with at least 170 plate appearances, Acuña's 1.022 OPS is the second-best in MLB after Aaron Judge (1.192), so it's hard to argue against the bats he is bringing with him to the stadium every day.