MLB insider squashes Ronald Acuna Jr. trade rumors ahead of July 31 deadline

With the trade deadline nearing, speculation has started around Ronald Acuna Jr. and his association with the Atlanta Braves. Media reports suggest that the Braves might be ready to hear offers for him, but MLB insider Jim Bowden put those rumors to bed.

On Thursday, Bowden wrote on X that there's no chance the Braves will be trading away their most prized player ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

"Just to be clear the #Braves have no interest or plans to trade Ronald Acuna Jr nor will they even consider offers for him according to multiple GMs who have inquired after some various media reports."

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Shortly after his post, he appeared on "Foul Territory" to quash media reports once again, reiterating that the former NL MVP is not going anywhere and that he has confirmed the same with the franchise as well.

"Yeah, I think when you have some respected media members come out and go on MLB Network TV and say there's a possibility Acuña gets moved, I think some people watch that, listen to it, and go, 'We better make sure we check our homework to be sure,'" Bowden said (00:30).

"But just as clear as could be—and I've confirmed this with the Atlanta Braves too—there's zero chance that they trade Ronald Acuña Jr. or even converse about the trades. And so I just want to put it to bed, because there seemed to be some momentum on that due to some media reports, and I just wanted to make sure that we snuffed it out as quickly as possible."

Ronald Acuna Jr. returns after lower back tightness

Two days after the Braves announced that Ronald Acuna Jr. was dealing with lower back tightness, the outfielder returned to the diamond with a bang. He appeared in the game against the Athletics on Wednesday, hitting two home runs.

Injuries have not helped Acuna Jr., who missed almost the entire 2024 season due to a torn ACL. The Braves are a borderline postseason team this year, and they would like the outfielder's services, especially later this fall.

Ronald Acuna Jr., despite coming off a big injury, is doing well at the plate. He's hitting .336 along with 11 home runs and four stolen bases after 41 games.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra