Resetting the division races: Acuña's injury, Phillies' fast start puts Braves' streak in jeopardy

The Atlanta Braves were already in a bit of a hole in the NL East before they got the type of news every team dreads — a season-ending injury to their top player.

The torn anterior cruciate ligament in Ronald Acuña Jr.'s knee left the Braves reeling at the beginning of the week, and perhaps it was no surprise that they lost three of four to Washington before rebounding a bit against lowly Oakland.

Atlanta now trails first-place Philadelphia by 6 1/2 games, and the Braves have their work cut out for them if they're going to win a seventh consecutive NL East title.

Atlanta is still in good shape to make the playoffs — there are six postseason spots in the National League and only five teams above .500 at the moment — but losing Acuña is a major blow to a team that already had right-hander Spencer Strider go down with his own season-ending injury. The situation would be easier to manage if the Phillies hadn't opened a substantial lead already, but at 41-19 Philadelphia has the best record in the NL.