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Ronald Acuña Jr. homers in return but Braves drop Padres series

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Acuña hits historic 467-foot blast after knee surgery, but Atlanta struggles despite standout performances.

Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves flips his bat after drawing a walk during the game against the San Diego Padres at Truist Park on May 25, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Kathryn Skeean/Getty Images
Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves flips his bat after drawing a walk during the game against the San Diego Padres at Truist Park on May 25, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by Kathryn Skeean/Getty Images

By Randy Ahmad and Yuni Utomo

Ronald Acuña Jr. made a sensational return to the Atlanta Braves lineup, electrifying Truist Park with a towering 467-foot home run on the first pitch he saw. It was a triumphant moment following his nearly year-long recovery from knee surgery. The powerful swing wasn’t just a personal milestone — it was historic. Acuña became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit a leadoff home run after missing at least 150 consecutive games.

Despite Acuña’s headline-grabbing return and his impressive contributions throughout the weekend — he went 4-for-12 with two home runs, a double, and three RBIs — the Braves lost two out of three games to the San Diego Padres. The series defeat pushed Atlanta’s record to 25-27 and left them 8.5 games behind the National League East-leading Philadelphia Phillies heading into a crucial three-game road series starting Tuesday.

Acuña’s return lifts the crowd, but not the team

Acuña’s presence on the field was undeniably inspiring. In addition to his homer, his performance included notable plays with his glove and arm, reaffirming that he’s fully recovered. Fans packed Truist Park for his comeback weekend, hoping his return would spark a turnaround for the team.

But despite the optimism that surged through the stadium following his stunning start, the Braves fell short in the series. Manager Brian Snitker admitted his disappointment, saying, “I kind of felt really good today about coming in and winning another series. So yeah, it kind of is [disappointing]. That was a really good pitching matchup.”

Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach squared off against Padres ace Dylan Cease in Sunday’s finale. Schwellenbach struck out 11 over seven innings without issuing a walk, but gave up seven hits and four runs — only two earned — including two homers. The loss marked the Braves’ fourth defeat in five games, including two in a rain-shortened series in Washington.

A tough stretch ahead for Atlanta

The Braves now face a daunting task: a road series against the red-hot Phillies. Philadelphia will start three of their best pitchers: Ranger Suarez (3-0, 3.70 ERA), Zack Wheeler (6-1, 2.42 ERA), and Cristopher Sanchez (4-1, 3.17 ERA). Atlanta counters with Spencer Strider in his third start of the season, followed by AJ Smith-Shawver and veteran lefty Chris Sale.

Despite the team’s recent struggles, Schwellenbach remains optimistic.

“We’ve got a hundred-plus games left, and this is a team of fighters,” he said. “We know we should be in every game and win every game.”

Manager Snitker echoed that sentiment. “We’re not gonna win the division in May, June, or July. I’m encouraged that we haven’t played our best baseball yet and we’re hanging right in there.”

Ozzie Albies shows signs of life at the plate

One promising development for the Braves is the resurgence of Ozzie Albies. On Sunday, the second baseman went 2-for-2 with two doubles and a walk, marking his first multi-extra-base-hit game of the season. Albies extended his hitting streak to 11 games, improving his batting average from .207 to .239 and raising his OPS from .587 to .650.

Snitker was encouraged by the performance. “Hopefully Oz is getting ready to get a little something going,” he said. “That’d be huge if we could get him going consistently like he has over the last few years.”

With Acuña back in the leadoff spot and rookie catcher Drake Baldwin providing a spark, the Braves' top five hitters — Acuña, Baldwin, Marcell Ozuna, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley — form a potent lineup when firing on all cylinders.

Defensive lapses hurt Braves again

An error by third baseman Austin Riley in Sunday’s sixth inning led to two unearned runs on a two-out homer by Gavin Sheets. The miscue marked Riley’s fifth error in 15 games — four of which occurred at Truist Park.

Snitker defended his player, attributing some of the mistakes to bad luck or field conditions. “I don’t think it’s all him. He’s getting some bad hops,” the manager said. “I don’t think it’s a bad infielder. I think some of the stuff is out of his control.”

Chris Sale’s remarkable mid-season turnaround

Chris Sale has emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent stretch for the Braves. After a rough start to the season — going 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA over his first six starts — the 36-year-old has roared back into form. Over his past six outings, Sale has posted a dominant 1.64 ERA with 46 strikeouts and only nine walks in 38.1 innings.

Sale credits the turnaround to intensive video review, biomechanics analysis, and bullpen sessions — as many as three between starts — something he hadn’t done consistently in years.

“We looked at some skeletal layout and motion,” Sale said. “There were some little things with my arm angle, and Schwellenbach and Holmes helped me look at spin angles and other data on the iPad. They were really helpful.”

The veteran has thrown at least 6.2 innings in four of his last five starts, including seven in each of his last two appearances. In his most recent outing against the Padres, Sale allowed just one run over seven innings.

Teammates praise Sale’s leadership

Grant Holmes, who followed Sale with seven strong innings of his own on Saturday, was among those who helped Sale adjust.

“He made that transition. He made that switch, and he’s come a long way with it,” Holmes said. “He’s one of those guys that isn’t too big to get help from others. He’s just like us, but a lot better.”

Sale’s attitude has also impressed his teammates. He deflects praise, never blames teammates, and often credits their defense and contributions. Shortstop Nick Allen described him as “an amazing person” and “a great baseball player, but just an amazing person.”

Verdugo-White platoon holds steady

Another storyline in the Braves’ evolving lineup is the left-field platoon between Eli White and Alex Verdugo. While both have strong numbers against right-handers — White hitting .291 with an .814 OPS and Verdugo batting .309 with a .760 OPS — the Braves are sticking with a traditional right-left platoon.

White bats right-handed and will start against left-handed pitchers, while Verdugo starts against right-handers. White had been a reliable fill-in in right field before Acuña’s return, and now shifts to a shared role in left.

Snitker said he’s keeping his options open but likes the balance the platoon brings. “I felt like we’d have a good right-left option in left field with Verdugo and White,” he said.

Braves aim for rebound in Philadelphia

As the Braves head to Philadelphia to face the division-leading Phillies, the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. provides both inspiration and production. But with errors in the field, inconsistent offense, and tough opponents ahead, Atlanta will need more than individual brilliance to claw back into contention.

Still, with players like Chris Sale regaining elite form and hitters like Albies heating up, there’s cautious optimism in the Braves’ clubhouse. They believe better baseball is just around the corner — and that belief starts with how they respond in this pivotal road series.

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