The Braves are hopeful third baseman Austin Riley (abdomen) will rejoin the lineup Friday when the team begins a series in Texas.
Riley has been sidelined since just before the All-Star break after leaving a July 11 game with a strained right abdomen. He rested during the season’s hiatus and will now have missed two series to begin the second half.
He would be able to play if this were a postseason series, manager Brian Snitker said, but the Braves have no reason to rush him back. The team has games Tuesday and Wednesday before an off day Thursday.
“We’ll see how he feels when he wakes up Friday,” Snitker said. “If we were opening round 1 of the playoffs today, he’d be in the lineup.”
Snitker also said that when Riley returns, outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will remain hitting third instead of shifting back to leadoff. Jurickson Profar, the team’s key offseason signee who missed much of the season because of suspension, is an experienced leadoff man who gave the Braves the option of shifting Acuña down in the order.
Riley isn’t having his best season, but his return will bolster a lineup that’s been productive coming out of the break. Riley is hitting .273 with a .764 OPS, which would be his worst mark across any full season.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
