The Atlanta Braves are dealing with some concerning news about one of their players. According to The Athletic, Austin Riley’s return to the field is uncertain due to a rib injury on his left side that is preventing him from swinging a bat.
Riley’s absence has forced the Braves to rearrange their infield lineup for several games. The third baseman exited Sunday’s game because of soreness and has not played since.
Riley is a key player for the Braves, though he’s having a relatively quiet season offensively, batting .245 with 18 RBIs. Defensively, he’s still a valuable asset. Riley had over 600 at-bats in each of the past two seasons and has made the All-Star team the last two years. He has been with the Braves since 2019 and won Silver Slugger Awards in 2021 and 2023, as well as being part of the 2021 World Series Championship team.
In other injury news, the Braves are also missing Travis d’Arnaud, who is dealing with a head contusion. He left Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres with dizziness. Although the team indicated he might be available on Saturday, they plan to rest him for at least two days. D’Arnaud is batting .255 with five home runs and 16 RBIs this season. Given his history of concussions, there was significant concern for his health after Friday’s game.
The Braves are scheduled to play the Padres on Saturday at 7:15 PM Eastern, entering the game with a 26-15 overall record.
