Braves grateful Acuna injuries not worse as rookie put on DL

Atlanta Braves left fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is grateful his knee and back injuries aren’t as serious as he first thought.

“I feel better than I did yesterday,” Acuna said Monday through an interpreter. “I just give thanks to God it’s not worse than it was.”

The 20-year-old rookie was placed on the 10day disabled list with a mild ACL sprain in his left knee and bruises to his knee and back.

Acuna’s leg buckled while running out a grounder Sunday at Boston. He fell on his back after crossing the bag and then rolled over on his front side with what looked to be a gruesome injury. He surprisingly walked off the diamond.

“I thought his season was over when it happened,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Now it’s very optimistic.”

Outfielder Dustin Peterson had his contract selected from Triple-a Gwinnett to replace

Acuna on Atlanta’s roster.

Rays: First baseman Brad Miller was scratched from Tampa Bay’s lineup with a facial contusion after hitting a ball that deflected off a protective screen and struck him near his left eye during batting practice. He entered the Rays’ win at Oakland as a pinch hitter and finished 0-for-2.

Tigers: Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (right shoulder impingement) allowed seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in a rehabilitation start Sunday with Triple-a Toledo.

Pirates: Rookie Nick Kingham, a Sierra Vista product, will make his fourth major league start Tuesday in place of fellow right-hander Ivan

Nova (right finger sprain), who was placed on the 10-day disabled list. Kingham is 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA with Pittsburgh.

Giants: Right-hander Dereck Rodriguez’s contract was purchased from Triple-a Sacramento, and left-handed reliever D.J. Snelton was designated for assignment. Rodriguez, 25, is a son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Rockies: Adam Ottavino (left oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day disabled list, and fellow right-handed reliever Scott Oberg was recalled from Triple-a Albuquerque.