Reports: Braves’ Acuna set for major league debut

A day most Atlanta Braves fans have eagerly awaited for appears to have arrived.

According to multiple published reports, Ronald Acuna will be called up to the majors today, joining the Braves for tonight’s game at Cincinnati.

Acuna, 20, shot up through the minors last year, beginning the year in Single-A and finishing with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves. He began the 2018 season with the renamed Gwinnett Stripers, with many anticipating a call-up for the Braves’ homestand that wrapped up Sunday.

Instead, Acuna, who got off to a slow start in Gwinnett this season before stepping up in recent days, is set to make his big-league debut on the road.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Acuna will start in left field tonight.

“Acuna will serve as Atlanta’s starting left fielder and attempt to bolster a lineup that has tallied a National League-high 122 runs without him,” Bowman wrote. “The five-tool outfielder ranks second only to Angels rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list.

“It remains to be seen where Braves manager Brian Snitker will place Acuna in the lineup, but there’s a possibility he could soon find himself batting behind Freddie Freeman and potential cleanup hitter Jose Bautista, who could join Atlanta’s roster later this week.”

Bowman reported that Preston Tucker, who had a strong start to the season in a fill-in role, will head to the bench and will fill a pinch-hit and fill-in role.

Acuna will add some power to the Braves’ batting order, according to Talking Chop’s Garrett Spain.

“The most noticeable thing about Acuna is just how fast his hands are at the plate,” Spain wrote. “He gets the bat through the zone incredibly quickly, creating bat speed and power that is jaw-dropping. Overswinging can at times cause strikeout problems, but Acuna has the natural hand-eye coordination to still make contact an impressive amount and has shown to be adept at adjusting during the season, during games, and during at bats.”

Reds 9, Braves 7 (Tuesday)

Second baseman Scooter Gennett, who hit 27 home runs for the Reds in 2017 but had not hit one this season, hit two on Tuesday, including a walkoff two-run shot in the 12th inning to give host Cincinnati a 9-7 win over the Braves.

Joey Votto walked to open the inning before Gennett’s second homer, giving the Reds their second straight win despite blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning.

The winning pitcher was Jared Hughes (1-2), who worked 2-2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and struck out two.

The losing pitcher was Max Fried (0-1), who was making his first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Braves batted around in the ninth inning and pushed across four runs to tie the game at 7. Freddie Freeman led off with his second homer of the night against Amir Garrett.

Closer Raisel Iglesias entered with one out and walked Johan Camargo with the bases loaded and allowed a two-out single to Ender Inciarte that tied the game. It was Iglesias’ first blown save of the season.

Cincinnati starter Tyler Mahle had his best outing of the season. He threw six no-hit innings but could not get an out in the seventh. He allowed three runs on three hits and two walks. Mahle struck out a career-high 11 in his fifth start of the season.