Another Braves calamity: Austin Riley has broken hand, out for rest of regular season

2024-12-25 12:33:27 source:lotradecoin roadmap category:My

Yet another Atlanta Braves All-Star is out for the remainder of the regular season, just as the club gears up for a playoff fight.

Third baseman Austin Riley suffered a fractured right hand when he was struck by a pitch and will miss six to eight weeks, the Braves announced Monday.

Riley, 27, was hit by a pitch Sunday and underwent an MRI that revealed the fracture.

While the two-time All-Star has not reached the lofty heights he set his previous two seasons - he hit 37 homers in 2023 and 38 in 2022, when he led the National League in total bases - he's still a crucial cog in Atlanta's lineup. Riley has 19 home runs and while his OPS is down from .861 to .783, he's still nearly 15% more productive than the league average hitter.

And it's starting to get pretty lonely in the Braves' lineup.

All things Braves: Latest Atlanta Braves news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. was the first to succumb, suffering a torn ACL in May. Second baseman Ozzie Albies suffered a fractured left wrist on July 22 and isn't expected back until late September. Center fielder Michael Harris II, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, returned just last week from a two-month absence after a hamstring injury.

And on the pitching side, ace Spencer Strider made one start and then missed the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, while 2024 All-Stars Max Fried and Reynaldo Lopez - activated Monday - completed recent IL stints with forearm issues.

Riley's absence comes a day before the Braves begin a three-game series against the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, who hold a seven-game lead over Atlanta. While the Braves' reign over the NL East looks likely to end after six consecutive titles, the club holds a two-game lead over the New York Mets for the final NL wild card, with four more teams within six games.

The regular season concludes Sept. 29, with the best-of-three wild card series beginning Oct. 1.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

More:My

Recommend

What Americans think about Hegseth, Gabbard and key Trump Cabinet picks AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — As several of President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for high-level positions in h

The human cost of climate-related disasters is acutely undercounted, new study says

Dr. Latoya Storr was an emergency medicine physician for a hospital in Grand Bahama when Hurricane

The Heartwarming Reason Adam Sandler Gets Jumpy Around Taylor Swift

Adam Sandler just filled in the blank space when it comes to who has left him starstruck.In fact, th