Austin Riley Injury Update: Braves 3B diagnosed with right hand fracture, out for 6-8 weeks
The Atlanta Braves will be without slugger Austin Riley in the foreseeable future, as per the club. Riley is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks after an MRI on his right hand revealed a fracture. On Sunday, Riley was hit on the hand by a pitch. It's another major blow for the World Series hopefuls.
It's been a roller-coaster season for the Braves third baseman. After opening the year on an extended cold streak, Riley rounded back into his old self, helping the Braves overcome some of their earlier obstacles. Riley has become the latest star, sidelined this year for the ailing club.
Riley was hit with a 97mph fastball during the Braves matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. Despite the club picking up an important victory, the loss of Riley could be enough to finally pull the Braves out of contention.
If Riley is out for six to eight weeks, it suggests that any possible return to the Braves lineup before October is out of the cards. In 110 games this year, Riley has posted a .256 batting average with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs. Despite it being a down year for the slugger, having him in the lineup is a clear benefit for the depleted Braves squad.
Austin Riley becomes the latest Braves star to be sidelined with a significant injury
After entering the year with World Series aspirations, the Atlanta Braves' hopes to secure their second title in the last five years took a hit after a number of their top stars sustained injuries. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. were diagnosed with season-ending injuries early in the year, while All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies has not played since July 21.
Now, fans can add Austin Riley to the growing list of superstars who will be unable to help the team try and secure a postseason berth. As of Monday, the Braves are holding on to the final National League Wild Card spot, sitting only 2.0 games ahead of the New York Mets.
With several weeks remaining in the regular season, the loss of Riley may be too much for the club to overcome at this point. If the Braves miss the postseason, it will be the first time they did so since 2017.