Should the Atlanta Braves make the playoffs, Austin Riley will be unavailable for Brian Snitker’s team.
The Braves manager said Tuesday that CT scans showed that Riley’s broken hand “is not where the doctors wanted it to be” and that his season is over even if the team reaches the World Series.
Riley, 27, has been out since mid-August, when he was hit in the right hand by a pitch during a game against the Los Angeles Angels. He was originally expected to be out six to eight weeks, enough time to return late in the regular season or sometime early in the playoffs.
Riley is expected to be fully fit when spring training begins in 2025.
Two days after Riley left the lineup, the Braves signed veteran third baseman Gio Urshela. In 30 games, Urshela hit .270 with three home runs and 13 RBI.
Riley, a two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner, had a .256 batting average with a .783 OPS, with 26 doubles, 19 home runs and 56 RBI in 110 games this season.
The Braves close out the regular season with a six-game home series starting Tuesday. They first play three games against the New York Mets and close with three games against the Kansas City Royals. As of Tuesday, they sit 1.5 games behind an NL wild-card spot.
