UTK Flash 7/10/21
Acuna down with injury
Ronald Acuna Jr went down with a painful leg injury on this play:
(UPDATE: Per multiple reports, Acuna has a sprained ACL and will require surgery. This will cost him between 9 and 12 months, putting the start of 2022’s season in jeopardy. Acuna could have surgery as soon as Monday. According to a team source, the knee was tested on the field and the injury was suspected, but Acuna still asked to try to leave the field under his own power.)
I won’t try to diagnose by video here, but it’s being described as knee, ankle, and leg variously. Acuna immediately grabbed at the right knee, which is usually a telling sign. The question now is when we’ll know more. At the stadium, an X-ray will be available immediately, but all the signs are for a ligament injury which will require an MRI. That likely won’t come until tomorrow.
The Marlins field is turf, a Shaw hybrid turf that was installed in 2020. The warning track is also turf and while I’m not sure how the Marlins field is set up, there’s usually something that makes the track feel different when it’s not dirt. That is sometimes less infill. (UPDATE: Nope, loandepot park — yes, that’s how it’s supposed to be presented - has dirt in the outfield. Alex was able to show this:)
There’s going to be criticism of George Poulis, the Atlanta AT and longtime Jays AT, because of this:
Don’t listen to it. Poulis can be seen making some tests on the field and as an experienced medical professional - and likely with the pleas of Acuna - allowed the player to walk off the field. He didn’t make it far and the cart was called, which started the criticism. This isn’t uncommon and again, is best made by the person on the field with their hands on the player and with a relationship to him.
I’ll update this page if there are any more updates — they won’t come to your inbox, so be sure to check back.