In a game the Atlanta Braves really needed to win over the Kansas City Royals, disaster struck when star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. jogged off the field and exited the game with Achilles tightness.

Breaking down what happened to the five-time All-Star in the sixth inning, The Athletic's David O'Brien broke down what he saw during the play and what it could mean for his future.

“Acuña was replaced by Eli White in right field with two out in the Royals' sixth inning,” O'Brien wrote. “Had been limping slightly on a previous play, but didn't look serious; he jogged off the field when White (no trainer) came out, then went up the tunnel with the head trainer to clubhouse.“

Now granted, if Acuña Jr. is, in fact, okay, then this isn't the end of the world, but if the star outfielder misses significant time, it could all but end any opportunity to turn this nightmarish season around before it's too late.

After starting off the season with a seven-game losing streak, the Braves have struggled to get much of anything going in 2025, winning just 12 series so far this season, including losses to the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers since the All-Star break. While the team could still pull out the series against the Royals, as they did win Game 1, it will be hard to do without Acuña Jr. available.

Originally linked to multiple contending teams as a potential trade deadline acquisition, Acuña Jr. has been more or less made untouchable, with the Braves wanting to build around him instead of initiating a ground-up rebuild at the expense of their NL MVP. While that could still happen at some point in the future, at 45-60, it feels like the winds of change may soon be coming to Atlanta, with the franchise making major moves to set up their future one way or another.

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