Urena suspended for hitting Acuna

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball suspended Marlins pitcher Jose Urena six games and fined him an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting the Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. with a pitch.

MLB announced the penalties Thursday, a day after Urena hit Acuna on the left arm with his first pitch in the Marlins’ 5-2 loss in Atlanta.

The 20-year-old Acuna went into the game having homered in five straight games, including four homers in the three games against the Marlins — three of them leading off.

The 25-year-old Urena is 3-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 24 starts. Unless appealed, the suspension is scheduled to begin Friday.

Also, Braves first base coach Eric Young was suspended one game and fined.

Acuna was back in the lineup for the Braves on Thursday night against the Rockies. The training staff signed off on Acuna returning after a CT scan on his elbow was normal. X-rays also were negative.

Acuna said his elbow felt fine and proclaimed himself ready to go in the opener of an important four-game series.

Acuna was batting leadoff and playing left field.

“Obviously, it was kind of a hard hit,” Acuna said through a translator after taking an early session of batting practice at SunTrust Park. “But I’m not feeling any pain and I feel good right now.”

The Braves breathed a big sigh of relief, knowing what a significant injury would have meant to the postseason chances.

With help from multilingual teammate Ender Inciarte, Acuna even crafted a text to Brian Snitker letting the Braves manager know he was ready to go Thursday.