Seconds after MLB return, Ronald Acuna Jr. blasts HR on first pitch vs Padres

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. had been away from major league action for almost a year after suffering an ACL injury on May 26. However, the 2023 National League MVP made an instant impact in his first game since his injury. He went deep in his first at-bat against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

The Braves star lined Padres ace Nick Pivetta for a monster 467-foot no-doubter on his first pitch of the game in the first inning. It was also the first time he had ever faced Pivetta in the MLB.

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Following his solo home run, Acuna replicated controversial NBA star Ja Morant's grenade celebration. He had previously copied the celebration during a Triple-A game during his rehab assignment.

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While Acuna sent fans at Truist Park into a frenzy to give his team a 1-0 lead, the visitors fired back instantly as Padres designated hitter Gavin Sheets tied the game in the second inning with a solo home run.

The two teams were locked at a run each heading into the ninth inning. The visitors took the lead through Manny Machado's go-ahead home run in the ninth and the Padres bullpen held on for a come-from-behind win.

Ronald Acuna Jr. reflects on his MLB return for Braves

While it was a blockbuster return to action for Ronald Acuna Jr., the former MVP was disappointed after ending on the losing side on Friday.

“I haven’t been able to play with my teammates in over a year, and I haven’t played in front of the fans in over a year,” Acuña said. “It was great to be out there. But ultimately we lost, and that's all that matters.”

Acuna's 467-foot homer was the longest hit ball by a Braves player this season and the hardest hit baseball by a Brave with an exit velocity of 115.5 mph.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash