Braves Scratch Ronald Acuna Jr. From Lineup Sunday vs. Mets

Your mind can’t help but drift towards concern when Ronald Acuna Jr. is dealing with “lower-body soreness”. The Atlanta Braves right fielder missed most of last season after tearing the ACL in his right knee, forcing him to miss the start of this season.

Acuna Jr. was a late scratch ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the New York Mets due to lower-body discomfort. The Braves stopped short of calling it an injury, but Acuna Jr’s situation is worth monitoring over the coming days. 

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The former Rookie of the Year has fallen off his career-best metrics from last season but remains a pillar in the Braves lineup. Acuna Jr. ranks fifth on the team in on-base plus slugging percentage among players with at least 200 at-bats.

Robbie Grossman fills in at right for Sunday’s NL East affair. 

The odds were already stacked against the Braves, having to get to Jacob deGrom, but they face a steeper climb without Acuna Jr. in the lineup.

Atlanta entered the contest as +134 underdogs, per the line info from FanDuel Sportsbook.