Braves GM says Acuña Jr., Strider won’t be ready by Opening Day

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Atlanta Braves president of operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos revealed that stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider won’t be ready by Opening Day next year.

The Braves lost Strider to an elbow injury in April and Acuña to a right knee ACL injury in May. On Tuesday, Anthopolous spoke with reporters about how rehab is going for both players.

“With both guys, I don’t think it’s significant time, but I think we’re confident that Opening Day is not realistic for them,” Anthopoulos said at the GM meetings in Texas. “I think, look, once we get to spring, you get to the beginning of February, you’ll have a much better idea on timelines. We’re planning that they will not be part of the Opening Day roster, and how soon after that, we’ll know more as we get deeper into the offseason.”

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Strider left the Braves’ home opener after complaining about his right below. A MRI showed damage on his right ulnar collateral ligament and Strider underwent a season-ending surgery.

“People look at injuries, and just adversity in general, like it’s a pause on your career and I think that’s dangerous,” Strider told Channel 2′s Alison Mastrangelo in April. “That implies an assumption that you’re trying to get back and when you press play again, you’re gonna be the same thing, which I don’t know why you’d want to be the same thing.”

For Acuña, this is the second time he has recovered from ACL surgery. Back in 2021, he tore his left knee ACL, which required season-ending surgery. Two years after that injury, Acuña had a record season and won the 2023 National League MVP.

The Braves open the 2025 season on March 27 on the road against the San Diego Padres, the team that eliminated them from the 2024 MLB Playoffs.

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