Ronald Acuña Jr. has a sore right knee and was scratched from the Braves’ spring training game against the Orioles on Friday. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press
Ronald Acuña Jr., the 2023 NL MVP, was evaluated by a doctor after reporting right knee soreness before Atlanta’s 3-1 spring training loss to Baltimore on Friday.
Snitker said Acuña – who was scratched from Friday’s lineup “as a precaution,” the Braves said – might’ve started feeling the soreness after he got caught in a rundown between second base and third base in Thursday’s contest.
“They’re gonna check him out,” Snitker said. I don’t think it’ll be anything. It’s probably one of those things that if it was during the season, he’d play. But still, we wanted to get it looked at, if it was enough that he said something.”
Acuna, who had 41 home runs and 73 stole bases last season, tore the ACL in his right knee during the 2021 season
RED SOX: Lucas Giolito struggled in his second spring training start with the Red Sox, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks in Boston’s 5-3 loss to the Twins on Friday in Fort Myers, Florida.
Giolito allowed a solo home run to Edouard Julien in the first inning, then loaded the bases with one out in the third. He was relieved by Jordan DiValerio, who gave up a grand slam to Royce Lewis.
Wilyer Abreu hit an RBI single in the first inning for Boston, David Hamilton had an RBI single in the second, and Romy Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the ninth.
YANKEES: Left-hander Carlos Rodón allowed four homers to minor leaguers over three innings during a simulated game with the wind blowing out in Florida.
MARINERS: Seattle center fielder Julio Rodríguez is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut on Saturday when the Mariners face Oakland. Rodríguez had been limited for about a week due to some left hand soreness.
UNIFORMS: Fanatics founder Michael Rubin says his company is being unfairly blamed for new Major League Baseball uniforms that have see-through pants and other fit and design problems.
“This is a little bit of a difficult position,” he said on Friday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. “We’re purely doing exactly as we’ve been told, and we’ve been told we’re doing everything exactly right. And we’re getting the (expletive) kicked out of us. So that’s not fun.”
Since reporting to spring training this month, some players have complained about the fit of new uniforms. The white pants worn by some teams are also see-through enough to clearly show tucked-in jersey tops.
“I know everyone hates them,” Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said. “We all liked what we had. We understand business, but I think everyone wanted to keep it the same way, for the most part, with some tweaks here or there.”
Rubin said uniforms were made to the specifications set by MLB and Nike. Fanatics has been making the baseball uniform since 2017, he said; Fanatics bought the company that has been making the uniforms since 2005, so there has been no real change in the manufacturer in almost two decades.
Rubin said Nike made changes “for all the right reasons” after getting feedback from players who wanted material more breathable and stretchable.
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