Braves injury updates on Ronald Acuña Jr., Joe Jimenez, and Sean Murphy
A strong end to the first half of the season would go a long way toward the Braves winning the NL East, because after the All-Star break, many improvements are going to be made to this roster. Most notably, Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to rejoin the team once the second half begins. He’s been […]
A strong end to the first half of the season would go a long way toward the Braves winning the NL East, because after the All-Star break, many improvements are going to be made to this roster.
Most notably, Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to rejoin the team once the second half begins. He’s been out with a hamstring injury for about a month — the same hamstring he injured earlier in the season, which is why the Braves are taking no chances by rushing him back. However, it does look like he could return today if they really needed him, as he was seen taking batting practice ahead of Saturday night’s game at Truist Park.
Ronald Acuna Jr. preparing to begin a rehab assignment. He should back in the Braves’ lineup after the All-Star break pic.twitter.com/AysvSszVvN
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 4, 2026
Acuña has not had his typical all-world campaign, recording a .793 OPS with just seven home runs over 53 games. But the impact he has on this team, whether he’s playing at his absolute peak or not, cannot be overstated. Since the beginning of his career, the Braves are 521-349 with him in the lineup. Without him, they’re barely an above .500 club over a more than 400 game sample size.
The mere presence Acuña brings forces pitchers to pitch differently. It creates more chaos for his teammates, the energy he brings to the clubhouse is contagious, and it also allows Mauricio Dubon to slide back to shortstop. Not to mention, Acuña is more than capable of playing like the best offensive player on the planet. That version of him still exists.
Braves beat reporter Grant McAuley also provided an update on a name some Braves fans might have forgotten, reliever Joe Jimenez, who hasn’t pitched since 2024 after undergoing multiple knee surgeries. He’s been working out at the club’s complex in Florida, but manager Walt Weiss said that he’s still a long way from a potential return.
#Braves MGR Walt Weiss said the most recent knee surgery gave Joe Jiménez hope that he'll be able to pitch again. He's made some good progress in Florida and is back with the team in Atlanta, but still quite a ways away from discussing a return or any timetable for that. https://t.co/OGYZcUTmrJ
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) July 4, 2026
Jimenez was a key cog in the Braves bullpen from 2023-2024, recording a 2.81 ERA over 128 appearances. Then came offseason knee surgery, and it wasn’t a simple one. There was an initial feeling that he might never pitch again, and to this point, that’s remained true. However, his latest surgery has inspired some hope that he could eventually revive his career.
The likelihood of that happening this year with the Atlanta Braves is very slim, but it would be a fantastic story if Jimenez could work his way back to a major-league mound.
On Sean Murphy, Walt Weiss said that he is ramping up baseball activities and a rehab assignment is not far away. There’s still no timetable, but the belief has always been that he could return around the beginning of August.
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(Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)
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