Ronald Acuña Jr. exits vs Marlins as a precaution with left thumb pain

MIAMI (AP) — Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was removed in the sixth inning of Thursday's 9-3 win over the Miami Marlins because of pain in his left thumb.

Manager Walt Weiss said after the game that Acuña has a bone bruise in his thumb, but added he thinks the star right fielder will be fine.

“I feel good,” Acuña said in Spanish afterward, adding that he felt tightness in his thumb during the game. “It's the first time something like that has happened.”

Acuña was experiencing pain and had his thumb examined during the fifth before exiting with the Braves up 6-2. Eli White replaced him at right field.

“He was trying to talk his way into the lineup tomorrow as soon as the game was over,” Weiss said, “so I think he’s going to be alright.”

It was Acuña's third game back after a being sidelined with a left hamstring strain since May 2.

He had two hits on Thursday, including an RBI single that put the Braves ahead 5-2 in the fifth.

Acuña left in the second inning against the Rockies on May 2 with hamstring tightness before an MRI revealed the strain. He was attempting to run out a grounder before he pulled up about halfway down the line and grabbed at his hamstring.

The five-time All-Star and 2023 NL MVP is batting .252 with two homers and a team-high seven steals. He had played in the first 34 games this year after a torn ACL he suffered in May 2024 limited him to a combined 144 games over the past two seasons.

The Braves took three of four at Miami for their 14th win in 16 series and return home for a three-game series against Washington.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb