Reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. has irritation around his meniscus that is not expected to keep him out for Opening Day, though he is set to undergo further evaluation.
The Atlanta Braves updated Acuna's injury status Saturday after he was scratched from the lineup Friday because of right knee soreness.
Acuna underwent an MRI that revealed the irritation, according to the team. He will meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday for additional evaluation.
"Right now we're trying to be optimistic," Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters in Florida on Saturday. "Maybe just a couple of weeks or whatever, just to calm everything down. But honestly, I don't know until we get what the doctor out there says."
Acuna posted "I'LL BE BACK" on social media on Saturday.
Acuna tore his ACL in the same knee in 2021, with ElAttrache performing the surgical repair.
Acuna took part in Atlanta's spring game Thursday against the Minnesota Twins but tweaked the knee during a rundown. He was able to take batting practice ahead of Friday's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles before being scratched.
He is coming off a monster 2023, one that saw him become baseball's first 40-70 player with 41 home runs and an NL-leading 73 steals. He also led the NL in on-base percentage (.416), OPS (1.012), hits (217) and runs (149).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.