Preliminary x-rays and a CT scan on Austin Riley’s proper wrist and hand have been “inconclusive” after the third baseman was hit by a Jack Kochanowicz pitch in as we speak’s sport with the Angels, Braves supervisor Brian Snitker instructed reporters (together with Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Structure). Riley will bear an MRI tomorrow in the course of the Braves’ off-day, as Snitker mentioned the workforce’s personal medical workers desires to totally discover Riley’s standing.
It may very well be seen as an ominous signal that the primary set of assessments didn’t definitively say whether or not or not Riley had suffered a break or a fracture, however it additionally stands to purpose that the membership would wish to be as cautious as potential with certainly one of its star gamers. Since we’re in the course of August, a extra critical kind of harm may finish Riley’s season solely, together with each the common season and no matter postseason run the Braves would possibly but take pleasure in.
Simply attending to the playoffs has been much more troublesome than anticipated for Atlanta, as accidents and an unexpectedly common offense have contributed to loads of inconsistency. The Braves are nonetheless 66-58 and in possession of the ultimate NL wild card slot, however they maintain solely a two-game lead over the Mets for that wild card berth, and the Phillies stay seven video games forward of Atlanta within the NL East race. After bursting out of the gates to an 18-6 document of their first 24 video games, the Braves have since posted a sub-.500 document (48-52) whereas weathering season-ending accidents to such stars as Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider. The remainder of Ozzie Albies’ 2024 marketing campaign is additionally in jeopardy as a result of a fractured wrist, and each Jorge Soler and Travis d’Arnaud have been out of the lineup in current days.
Riley additionally missed shut to 2 weeks earlier this season as a result of an intercostal pressure, although the Braves made the curious resolution to not really place him on the 10-day IL throughout that stretch, leaving the workforce short-handed for an prolonged time period. The harm contributed to a really sluggish begin to the season for Riley, however his bat has come to life because the season has gone on, with 16 house runs and .275/.337/.531 slash line over his final 285 plate appearances.
Clearly there’s no simple method for the Braves to interchange such All-Star ranges of manufacturing if Riley is going through a prolonged IL stint, and it’ll be even trickier to fill Riley’s spot at third base now that the commerce deadline has handed. Luke Williams took over on the scorching nook as we speak, and such veterans as Leury Garcia and Zack Brief are at Triple-A as further depth.
As unsure as Riley’s scenario could also be, some harm aid is on the horizon for the rotation, as Reynaldo Lopez was introduced because the starter for Atlanta’s sport on Tuesday, when the Braves begin an essential collection in opposition to the Phillies. Lopez will return after lacking simply barely past the 15-day minimal after he was positioned on the IL as a result of forearm irritation on August 2.
Lopez’s begin on July 28 was lower quick by his harm, however assessments revealed no structural injury. Whereas even less-serious kinds of forearm issues can linger, Lopez seems to be like he has been capable of get well in fairly quick order, and he acquired as much as 71 pitches in a Triple-A rehab outing final Tuesday.
Signed to a three-year, $30MM free agent deal final winter, Lopez has excelled in his return to beginning pitching. Although he has labored nearly completely as a reliever in the course of the 2022-23 seasons with the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians, Lopez has posted a 2.06 ERA over 104 2/3 innings for Atlanta this season. Between Lopez, Cy Younger Award candidate Chris Sale, and stable performances from Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves have restricted the injury after Strider was misplaced for the yr.