Ronald Acuña Jr. is ready to go. Can he stay healthy?

“I’m ready to go,” he said after four plate appearances with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers at Gwinnett Field.

Not crucial information, but he was wearing a purple, black and orange tracksuit (the orange panels were mesh) that will serve him well if he ever needs to camouflage himself at a Jackson Pollock exhibit.

A likely return would be Monday for the start of the Braves’ three-game road series against the New York Mets.

The Braves play an afternoon game Sunday at Baltimore, so that figures to be a travel day for Acuña, so he can meet up with his teammates in New York.

For a player who is so skilled and whose passion for the game so obvious, you hope that he’s done with the injured list, that his muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments will be healthful.

But it’s so easy to wince with every misstep. It’s why Braves fans had a panic attack when video of Acuña hobbling after a strikeout on Thursday circulated on social media. (He had caught his cleat in the dirt on the swing and was fine.)

This was his second trip to the IL this season for a strain to the same hamstring this season.

It follows, of course, his two ACL tears and assorted other injuries that have conspired to keep him off the field.

In his historic NL MVP season in 2023, he played in 159 of 162 games. Since then, he has played in 197 out of the team’s 428 games (including Saturday), or 46%.

Forget about return on his contract, what he means to the team or anything that clinical. This is more about someone being able to do something he was born to do.

His groundbreaking 40/70 season in 2023 (41 home runs, 73 stolen bases) revealed the fullness of his ability. But what was an insight into his being was that he followed that up with 21 winter-league games in his native Venezuela.

“This is my passion,” Acuña said. “This is the only thing that I want to do.”

The first thing he told media members after Saturday’s game was an assessment of how he felt on the field:

“Amazing, amazing. I thank God for the opportunity to play the game of baseball.”

At least twice on Saturday, Acuña took the time on the on-deck circle before plate appearances to pose for photos with fans through the protective netting.

“It’s amazing when the fans come here to see me play,” he said. “I’m glad to put my Braves uniform on every time, every single day. It’s a pleasure for me.”

Would it be better for Acuña to not play every game?

It does not appear to be in the Braves’ plans, which Acuña has no problem with.

I asked Acuña if it might be possible that occasionally sitting out a game could be better for him.

“On the bench? No, no, no, no, no.”

He paused.

“No, no, no. No sitting for me. I play every day.”

He then laughed deeply. Not scoffingly, but more like he’d been told a really funny joke. Not playing when he is able is just that unfathomable to Acuña.

He should be ready to contribute. Saturday, the first half of a doubleheader, wasn’t a productive day at the plate — he grounded out, struck out, hit a bloop single and walked.

But over the previous five games with Gwinnett, he hit nine balls with an exit velocity in excess of 95 miles per hour. For what it’s worth, he did not have an extra-base hit in 19 at-bats with the Stripers.

This is not someone who is taking this lightly. He said Saturday that in a call with the team three or four days ago, he made clear that he still needed more time to be ready.

“My timing is better than before,” he said. “I was working hard in Florida with Carlos Méndez and Einar Diaz. So we’re working a lot. We got time there, so I’m feeling much better, way better than before.”

If that feeling can last through October, it would be a relief, perhaps for Acuña more than anyone.

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