Coming back from an ACL injury that cost him the second half of 2021 (including Atlanta's run to an improbable World Series victory), Braves slugger Ronald Acuña didn’t have the season he was hoping for this past year, posting a career-worst .266/.351/.413 batting line with 125 strikeouts in 533 plate appearances (23.6-percent K rate). Seeking extra reps, the All-Star outfielder headed to the Venezuelan Winter League to play for his hometown Tiburones de La Guaira, debuting in impressive fashion with a pinch-hit homer Tuesday night.
Acuña’s eighth-inning blast staked Tiburones to a commanding 8-1 lead, with La Guaira ultimately winning by a final count of 9-1.