Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. makes epic injury return on very first pitch he sees

You can't script baseball.

If someone had written this script, it would've gotten tossed for being too dramatic. But there Ronald Acuña Jr. was on Friday night, proving the most incredible outcome could indeed come true.

Acuña was playing his first game since May 26, 2024. He tore his left ACL that day on the base paths.

After nearly a year away, Acuña dug in for his first MLB at bat in 362 days. He was leading off the bottom of the first against Padres righty Nick Pivetta.

Pivetta decided to throw a get-me-over fastball. Acuña decided it was a get-me-over-the-fence fastball.

The righty slugger took his best swing and didn't miss. He clobbered a home run on the first pitch he saw in his return from injury.

It traveled 467 feet. Yeah, Acuña looks healthy.

MORE: How Ronald Acuna Jr. made it back from injury

The only real Acuña question mark in his return is how much he'll run.

In his last fully healthy season, Acuña had 73 steals and 41 home runs.

But in reality, if Acuña hits the ball over the fence, he doesn't have to run very hard. He can just trot.

MORE: Shohei Ohtani closing in on pitching return

What a moment this was. 

Acuña plays baseball with an incredible joy and is one of the best players on the planet.

Somehow, it's not surprising that he rose to the moment. It's the kind of special swing he's worked his whole life for.

And there are surely more where that came from.

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