The Atlanta Braves, who have climbed out of the cellar after an 0-7 start to the season, are set to get even better in the coming week.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Braves (23-23), are expecting the return of Ronald Acuna Jr.

Acuña, who is recovering from his second ACL tear, should be able to return in time for Atlanta’s next home stand beginning May 23.

That would be a big boost for a Braves roster that is trying to make a deep playoff run despite the slow start. Acuna just started his rehab assignment this week and is currently playing with Triple-A Gwinnett.

The 27-year-old is hitting .444 (4-for-9) with two homers and two RBIs.

The National League MVP in 2023, Acuna is a career .289 hitter at the big-league level. He’s also a four-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger and a Rookie of the Year winner.

He hit 41 homers and stole a league-best 73 bases in that 2023 campaign, but he played just 49 games before getting hurt in 2024. He had struggled prior to the injury, hitting just .250 with four homers and 16 steals.

It’s unclear how much he’ll run after injuring his ACL (left), but he’s one of the most dynamic players in baseball when he’s healthy.

The Braves will take on the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park with first pitch coming at 1:35 p.m. ET.

Spencer Schwellenbach will pitch for Atlanta while Brayan Bello takes the hill for Boston.

MAC MILLER TIME: Mac Miller was a popular rapper from Pittsburgh who died at the age of 26 in 2018. This July, the Pirates will honor his life with a commemorative bobblehead. CLICK HERE:

A JUDGIAN BLAST: Aaron Judge continues to make history at the plate, now doing something not seen since 1956. CLICK HERE:

SNAPPING OUT OF IT: Patrick Corbin is 3-2 for the Texas Rangers this season as he looks to break a historic streak on the mound. CLICK HERE:

Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — League scoring leader Tai Baribo recorded his 11th goal on a penalty kick in the second half to give the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union a 1-0 win over Atlanta United FC on Saturday.

Baribo’s goal at the 59th minute occurred after Luis Abram was given a yellow card for a handball. The penalty occurred when Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan came off his line and misplayed the ball attempting a kick to clear.

Kai Wagner gathered the loose ball and a sliding Abram appeared to deflect the ball out of play. However, video review showed the ball hit Abram’s right hand before deflection off the right boot.

Baribo went low past the outstretched keeper for the lead.

Union keeper Andrew Rick helped seal the win in stoppage with a save against a Derrick Williams in the center of the box. Rick registered three saves.

Philadelphia (9-3-2) outshot Atlanta 14-9 despite maintaining possession for just a third of the match.

The Union haven’t lost a match since a 1-0 defeat against New York City on April 12.

Philadelphia shutout Atlanta (2-8-5) with a 3-0 win on April 19. Atlanta’s winless streak stands at eight games.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

ATLANTA – Some of the fastest runners on the planet are headed to Atlanta this weekend as Piedmont Park prepares to host the Atlanta City Games, a world-class track event featuring Olympic athletes from across the globe and right here in Georgia.

Set on a specially built 200-meter straightaway in the park’s meadows, the event will showcase top-tier track and field talent, including 2024 Olympian Anna Hall and world-class hurdler Tia Jones, a Marietta native and Walton High School alumna.

What they’re saying:

“I’m really excited,” said Hall, a silver-medal heptathlete and former University of Georgia standout. “We want to put on a great show.”

The Atlanta Track Club, which is organizing the event, says the temporary track was constructed with precision and care, using imported Italian mondo rubber and tons of steel to ensure an elite-level competition surface.

“If you were here all week you would see the tons and tons of steel and tons and tons of mondo rubber from Italy that were brought in to create this perfectly level 200-meter straightaway,” said Rich Kenah, CEO of the Atlanta Track Club and a bronze medalist at the 1997 World Championships. “The whole point of this is to bring Olympic track and field to the people.”

What we know:

The Atlanta City Games, which begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and run through 10 a.m., will also include races for up-and-coming athletes, a kids’ mile, and a high school track meet at Midtown High School.

“It’s a lot of fun every time, so I’m really excited to be back in Atlanta,” said Hall.

For Jones, the hometown event carries special meaning. “It always feels good to come back and run for my city,” she said.

Kenah echoed the significance of the event’s location. “Atlanta is an Olympic city,” he said, referencing the city’s legacy as host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

What’s next:

The Atlanta City Games is free and open to the public.