Atlanta moves on from the team’s former starting shortstop while welcoming back a former MVP.
The Atlanta Braves have activated outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. and designated shortstop Orlando Arcia in the corresponding move.
The #Braves today returned OF Ronald Acuña Jr. from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list. The club also designated INF Orlando Arcia for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 23, 2025
Acuña, Jr.’s return was expected in advance of tonight’s game against the San Diego Padres. The outfield missed almost one calendar year due to a knee injury. The 2023 National League MVP was scratched from last night’s Triple-A game leading to speculation that he would be activated today.
The Braves moving on from Arcia is less surprising that it would have been prior to the start of the regular season with Nick Allen having won the starting shortstop job. Atlanta has been leveraging its reserves – including utility man Luke Williams – as pinch runners and given Arcia’s lack of sprint speed and offensive and defensive decline, the Braves opted to move on from the 2023 All-Star.
Arcia joined the Braves early in the 2021 season and saw action in 409 games with the team in the infield and outfield and also pitched for the team in 2022. He was the team’s starting shortstop in 2023 and 2024, including his career-best season in 2023, but had played in only 14 games this season – garnering 32 plate appearances.
Although both Arcia and Allen are below-average offensive performers, Allen’s defense outpaced the soon-to-be 31-year-old Arcia. Williams now slides into the primary back-up shortstop role.
As for Acuna, Jr., his return has been anticipated since the beginning of the season with hopes that the dynamic offensive performance and ignite a Braves team that has been inconsistent offensively all season.