Ronald Acuna Jr. Injured, Latest News on Braves Star's Status and Return Timeline

The Atlanta Braves are enjoying a fantastic start to the 2026 season, but they faced a bit of bad luck on Thursday.

Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was removed from Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins in what the team called a precautionary measure after he was experiencing pain in his right thumb.

The good news is that Acuña's X-rays came back negative, but he is considered day-to-day heading into a series against the Washington Nationals.

It's unclear when Acuña hurt his thumb, but he had it looked at in the fifth before exiting in the sixth as the Braves led 6-2. Eli White took over at right field after Acuña's exit.

Atlanta won 9-3 to win the four-game series against the Marlins.

Braves vs. Marlins (05/21/2026)

04:56

The former MVP has hit two home runs and 11 RBI while slashing .261/.370/.384 in 37 games.

Acuña is looking to avoid missing more time after missing most of May following an injury on May 2. He was dealing with hamstring tightness during a game against the Colorado Rockies, and an MRI revealed that he had a strain.

He returned from that injury on Tuesday, so missing more time would be a major blow as he tries to get things going.