The Atlanta Braves‘ clubhouse has always been a stage for big personalities and even bigger expectations. But this season, a storm has been brewing beneath the surface—one that finally erupted when a demoted player, caught in the crossfire of controversy, decided to speak out. It all began when Jarred Kelenic, recently sent down, made a costly mistake on the bases. Instead of hustling, he watched his long drive, only to be thrown out at second. The moment might have passed quietly, but Ronald Acuña Jr. took to social media to point out what many in the locker room had whispered for years: there’s a double standard in Atlanta.

As the double standard debate raged on social media and sports talk shows, Kelenic stayed silent. He focused on his game, determined to prove he belonged on the Braves’ roster. But the whispers grew louder. This week, Kelenic finally broke his silence. In a postgame interview, he addressed the controversy head-on.

“It’s just part of the game. I’m going to go out and — nobody knows what the future holds,” he said. “I know what I’m capable of doing. I think the organization knows what I’m capable of doing. Nobody knows where, at the end of the year, however long, I’m going to be here. Like, nobody knows.”

Apparently, he also found a silver lining to this demotion: “Just getting consistent at-bats is going to really help get me into a groove. Go down, get at-bats and get going, that’s how I’m looking at it.” However, his demotion also reignited a controversy from April. But let us not overlook the minor drama that occurred in April. As Acuña Jr. was the subject of a double standard, with Kelenic at its core.

For those unfamiliar with the incident, it happened during a game against the Minnesota Twins. Kelenic thought he had hit a home run and slowed down rounding the bases. However, the ball stayed in the park. Interestingly, instead of being reprimanded, he was casually moved to second base. This prompted Acuña Jr., watching from afar, to post on social media that if he had done the same, he would’ve been ejected immediately. Although the post was quickly deleted, the message had already spread like wildfire.

Amid all of this, the Braves have tried to keep their focus on the bigger picture. And that’s navigating injuries, roster changes, and the pressure of postseason expectations.

Braves share a major update on Ronald Acuña Jr.’s injury

With everything that’s happening in the Braves camp, there appears to be a glimmer of hope, finally. The team is expected, at least, to make it to the playoffs. Rumours circulated two weeks ago that Acuña Jr. had consulted with a Los Angeles doctor and received permission to resume his baseball activities. But sadly, after that, the news went quiet. Even though Marcell Ozuna, Sean Murphy, and Matt Olson, all doing their best for the team, the Braves still miss Acuña Jr.

Initially, manager Snitker dismissed the injury update as merely a social media rumor. But now, reports suggest that Acuña Jr. is expected to return sometime in the first half of the season. That’s certainly good news for the team, especially given his stellar regular season record with 165 home runs, .289 batting average, a .379 OBP, and a .904 OPS.

However, there’s no official confirmation date yet. And, with the demotion of Kelenic and bringing Eddie Rosario to the roster, the Braves don’t look to be in a hurry to get him back. For now, it’s working out well for the team, who are currently standing at 9-3 across their last 12 games.

But the longer the silence remains around Acuña Jr’s return, the higher will be speculations and expectations for many. Do you think he will make a comeback soon?