Atlanta, USA – On a magical and unforgettable night for baseball fans, the stellar Venezuelan outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. made history by returning to MLB with a resounding 467-foot home run in his first at-bat, after almost a year of absence due to injury.
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The imposing Truist Park was the scene of the awaited return of the Braves player, who did not take long to demonstrate that his power remains intact. Facing pitcher Nick Pivetta, of the San Diego Padres, Acuña Jr. hit a huge home run to center field on the first pitch he saw —a 93.1 mph fastball that shot off the bat at 115.5 mph.
The crowd erupted in ovation when the native of La Sabana, La Guaira state (Venezuela), ran the bases with emotion. His hit not only opened the scoring for Atlanta (1-0), but also marked his 35th home run starting a game in his career.
Acuña Jr.’s return came after overcoming a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in 2024, which kept him away from the diamonds for 363 days. The official announcement of his reinstatement to the roster was made earlier via the social network X, when the Braves confirmed his activation in place of infielder Orlando Arcia.
