Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. suffers apparent ankle injury after awkwardly landing on first base

Scary moment during Thursday afternoon’s series finale between the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park (GameTracker). Braves wunderkind Ronald Acuña Jr. exited the game in the seventh inning with an apparent left ankle injury after hitting first base awkwardly while running out a ground ball.

Here’s the video. Acuña was in obvious pain and he remained on the ground for a few minutes before walking off under his own power.

The Braves have not yet provided an update on Acuña. He is surely headed for tests, though it is good news he did not have to be helped off the field. That does not necessary mean he escaped without an injury, however.

Acuña, 23, has been the best player on a disappointing Braves team so far this season. He took a .304/.403/.640 batting line into Thursday’s game, then hit a leadoff homer, his MLB leading 12th dinger. His 84 total bases lead the National League and his 172 OPS+ is by far the best on the team. Only three other Braves have even a 100 OPS+, and none are over a 114 OPS+.

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Outfielders Ender Inciarte and Guillermo Heredia are on the injured list with hamstring injuries, so if Acuña misses any time, Atlanta will be very short in the outfielders. Third baseman Austin Riley moved to right field after Acuña exited Thursday’s game, and utility man Ehire Adrianza took over in center field. Center fielder Cristian Pache left Thursday’s game before Acuña with hamstring tightness, so Marcell Ozuna is the team’s only healthy starting outfielder at the moment.

Atlanta came into Thursday with a 17-19 record and in third place in the NL East, and the Braves have lost seven of their last 12 games.