The Atlanta Braves officially activated former MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. from the injured list ahead of Friday’s series opener against the visiting San Diego Padres.

Acuna will start in right field and bat in the leadoff spot Friday. The 27-year-old has not played in the majors since tearing his left ACL almost one year ago on May 26, 2024.

Acuna was 6-for-15 with two homers and two RBIs in six rehab games. He homered for the Braves’ Florida Complex League team in his first game on May 13 and spent the rest of his stint playing for Gwinnettt, batting .417 (5-for-12) with one homer, two doubles and one RBI.

The Padres will send right-hander Nick Pivetta (5-2, 2.86 ERA) to the mound Friday. Acuna has a .233 average with no home runs and nine strikeouts in his career against the 32-year-old.

A four-time All-Star, Acuna was the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and the 2023 Most Valuable Player.

Acuna hurt the knee last season while taking a large lead off second base against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He underwent surgery on June 6.

Acuna batted .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs and 16 steals in 49 games last season prior to the injury.

In 2023, Acuna was the unanimous MVP as he belted 41 homers and stole a major-league-best 73 bases to post the first 40-70 season in MLB history. He batted .337 and led the majors with 149 runs, 217 hits and a .416 on-base percentage.

His historic campaign came two years after he sustained a torn right ACL on July 10, 2021, and missed the rest of that season.

He is a career .289/.379/.525 hitter with 165 homers, 417 RBIs and 196 stolen bases in 722 games with the Braves.

The Braves designated former All-Star infielder Orlando Arcia for assignment Friday to make room for Acuna on the 26-man roster. Arcia, 30, is batting .194 with one RBI in 14 games this season.

–Field Level Media