Ronald Acuña Jr.'s comments on injury scare showed why Brian Snitker is a problem

USA Today

6 days ago

An emotional Ronald Acuña Jr. meets with the media after leaving Tuesday's Braves game with right Achilles tightness.The 2023 NL MVP missed most of the 2024 season with a torn ACL in his left knee (and suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in 2021). #MLB pic.twitter.com/5jwjPzunHi
By all accounts, the 2025 season has been a complete disaster for the Atlanta Braves. And it's difficult to overlook the role that manager Brian Snitker has played in baseball's biggest disappointment.
On Tuesday night, it nearly cost the Braves beyond this season.
Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. was removed from Tuesday's game against Kansas City in the sixth inning after what the Braves described as Achilles tightness. With an Achilles injury, a medical staff is typically able to test for a tear before needing an MRI to confirm. So, the Braves likely avoided a worst-case scenario with their superstar who just returned from a second ACL tear.
But amid Acuña's postgame comments, he revealed a troubling trend about the Braves manager. Snitker continues to put his players at risk either by simply not noticing an injury or allowing players to push through pain when they shouldn't.
Acuña told reporters that his calf and Achilles pain started on Monday night, but he convinced Snitker to let him play on Tuesday because he had already missed so much time due to his ACL recovery and back pain around the All-Star break.
That's where a manager needs to step in and save a player from himself. Obviously, Acuña is a competitor who loves the game and wants to be on the field for his team. But Acuña's longterm health has to be Snitker's top priority — especially in a season heading nowhere. Yet, Snitker couldn't make that tough decision over Acuña's objections, and it nearly sent the Braves superstar into a third major injury.
Acuña's discomfort is in the upper Achilles/lower right calf region. Preliminary tests provided no reason to believe he has a significant injury. Today's MRI will verify if this is true. If results match current expectations, there's a chance Acuña could play again in 2-3 weeks
Still, that's managerial malpractice at the highest order, and it wasn't a one-off mistake on Snitker's part this season.
We already saw as Snitker allowed breakout rookie AJ Smith-Shawver to pitch into what ultimately became a ruptured UCL. It took Spencer Strider alerting the coaches in order to get Smith-Shawver out of the game. Smith-Shawver ended up needing Tommy John surgery and could miss most or all of 2026.
WOW man. We are so lucky to have Spencer StriderAfter AJSS got hit by a line drive he stayed in the game. Strider walked over to Kranny and told him he noticed something with AJSS arm, then they went out and pulled him. Strider talked with the coaches then went down to check on pic.twitter.com/6PDNsMkTAr
Snitker also allowed Chris Sale to face two more batters after the Braves ace had fractured his rib trying to make a play in the ninth inning against the Mets. Sale had already thrown 107 pitches before the injury and was going for a complete game. It was just another instance of Snitker deferring to his players' competitiveness over looking out for their wellbeing.
That's the danger of having a manager who is so clearly checked out. It could cost a team beyond a single season.