Braves Receive Terrible News on Austin Riley After Further Testing

Austin Riley, a third baseman for the Atlanta Braves, will miss six to eight weeks due to a right-hand fracture, the

team said on Monday.

In the first inning of Sunday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Angels, Riley was hit by a pitch.

Riley was retested after returning to Atlanta because the results of the initial tests were unclear on Sunday. The

fracture was verified by those findings.

Another victim of the Braves injury bug, yet again.

This season, Riley has batted in 110 games.256 with 19 home runs, 56 RBI, and a.783 OPS. Riley’s chances of playing

in the 2024 regular season are currently very slim, with roughly six weeks remaining in the season.

Riley might be able to make a comeback for the start of the postseason if his recuperation takes only six weeks. But

it’s more likely that he’ll return closer to the conclusion of the division series, which is slated for October 5–10. That

is presuming all five games of the series are played.

October 13–22 is when the National League Championship Series takes place. Riley might not be able to return to

the field this season unless the Braves are two of the last teams in the NL.

The last thing the Braves lineup needed was Riley to be out. With second baseman Ozzie Albies already on the

injured list due to a similar injury, another important infield bat is no longer in the lineup.

Riley’s injury occurs shortly after Reynaldo Lopez’s stated comeback and the return of outfielder Michael Harris II.

The Braves will need to examine their minor league system and the waiver wire for infield options before making any

further moves. There are a few weeks left to explore those alternatives before the August 31 waiver deadline.

Riley was replaced on Sunday by Luke Williams following his hit-by-pitch. Williams, though, is a career.4 MLB

seasons and 218 hitters.

The Braves may take a look at prospect Nacho Alvarez Jr. as an internal alternative. After Albies’ injury, he got a

taste of the Major League Baseball and did not fare well during his brief stay.