CHICAGO -- Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness.
Acuña chopped a groundball to White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas near the foul line and strained to beat the throw at the first base bag. He came up limping after the awkward stride, and after walking around for a moment left the field visibly frustrated.
When Acuña reached the Atlanta dugout, he slammed his batting helmet on the floor. He was replaced in right field by Eli White in the bottom of the fourth.
"Very disappointing," Acuña said after the game.
Acuña's frustration is understandable. His 2021 season ended because of a torn ACL in his right knee, and in 2024 he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee. Both injuries required surgery. Acuña had a brief stint on the injured list last month after suffering a Grade 1 strain in the same hamstring.
This one, manager Walt Weiss is hoping, is not as serious.
"It doesn't seem as bad as the last one," Weiss said. "So we're not (putting him on the IL) right now. He's day-to-day and is going to get an MRI. Then we'll go from there, but it's not terrible."
In between knee surgeries, the 28-year-old superstar won National League MVP honors in 2023 when he hit 41 homers, scored 149 runs and stole 73 bases, becoming the first 40/70 player in MLB history.
He has been off to a relatively slow start this season with a .254 average, a .798 OPS, seven homers and 15 steals in 52 games, with the ailing hamstring and a bone bruise on his left thumb hampering him over the season's opening months.
"This is a little more easy," Acuña said. "I don't feel any pain, I just feel a little bit tight. So we'll see what the MRI says tomorrow."
Acuña's younger brother, Luisangel, started Tuesday's game at shortstop for the White Sox and was on the field when Ronald was injured.
The brothers met at home plate before the game to exchange lineup cards, giving the elder brother at least one happy memory from a rough night, when his Braves dropped a 6-5 decision on a two-run, 10th-inning homer from Chicago's Braden Montgomery, making his MLB debut.
"Man, amazing," Ronald said. "The first time we shared the lineups, played the first game in a new city. I'm disappointed because I don't know how I can play tomorrow and the next day. But always giving him many blessings."