ATLANTA -- Ronald Acuña Jr. took another step toward rejoining the Braves’ lineup. He also had a chance to see why AJ Smith-Shawver could soon join Atlanta’s rotation.
Acuña went 1-for-3 with a walk and Smith-Shawver tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A Gwinnett’s 5-1 win over Toledo in Game 1 of a seven-inning doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Both are currently on a Minor League rehab assignment. Acuña was rested in the nightcap.
Acuña served as the designated hitter during the three games he played for the Rookie-level FCL Braves this week and for Gwinnett on Saturday. The Braves are being cautious with the 2023 National League MVP, who has strained his left hamstring twice this year. There is a chance they could continue to utilize Acuña as the DH once he is activated.
Braves manager Walt Weiss said he’s hoping Acuña returns to the Braves’ lineup before the current homestand ends on Thursday. He has been on the injured list since June 9.
Smith-Shawver recorded five strikeouts and issued one walk. His four-seam touched 99.4 mph, and he induced whiffs on 13 of 37 swings, including six of 11 against his slider.
Smith-Shawver threw 72 pitches in what was his fourth rehab start. The 23-year-old will likely need to make at least one more rehab start before becoming a rotation option for Atlanta. He is recovering from the UCL surgery he underwent in June 2025.
Ha-Seong Kim played in both games for Gwinnett on Saturday, going 1-for-4 with a double and one strikeout in Game 1 and then 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two strikeouts in Game 2. It is the same finger that was surgically repaired after Kim slipped on ice a couple weeks after signing a one-year, $20 million deal with Atlanta.