When the Atlanta Braves open their crucial three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday they will be without starting third baseman Austin Riley.
An MRI on Monday revealed that Riley has a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch during Sunday’s road game against the Los Angeles Angels. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.
“Any time you get hit in the little bones like that … it’s a shame,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.
Riley is batting .256 with 19 home runs, 56 RBI and scored 63 runs and leaves Atlanta without a top defensive infielder possibly through the end of the regular season.
The injury is just the latest for the Braves, who already lost 2023 MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and Cy Young candidate Spencer Strider (elbow) for the season. The Braves continue to be without second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) until September as well as setup man A.J. Minter (hip).
The Braves just saw center fielder Michael Harris II return after missing 52 days with a hamstring strain. Right fielder Jorge Soler, acquired at the trade deadline, missed the weekend series the Angels with a hamstring injury, but could be available for the series against the Phillies.
Atlanta activated right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.06 ERA) to start the first game of the series. He has missed three weeks with right forearm inflammation. The Braves will take a cautious approach with Lopez, a converted reliever who has pitched 104 2/3 innings — his most since 2019 when he was a starter with the Chicago White Sox.
Lopez is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against Philadelphia. He threw six scoreless innings in a win against the Phillies on July 7.
Philadelphia will counter with right-hander Zack Wheeler (12-5, 2.72), who has dominated the Braves in his career. Wheeler has faced Atlanta 14 times since joining the Phillies in 2020, going 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA. He threw six scoreless innings against the Braves on March 29 to open the season but did not receive a decision.
Wheeler has allowed only four combined runs, and just three earned, over his last three starts. On Thursday he beat the Washington Nationals, going six innings and allowing two runs (one earned). The Phillies won that game 13-3 when Weston Wilson hit for the cycle.
“Feels like the offense is doing its thing,” Wheeler said. “They made it easier for us.”
The Phillies lead the Braves by seven games in the National League East. Atlanta is trying to hold onto the final wild-card spot, where it holds a two-game advantage over the New York Mets.
“I think we’ve been playing really well defensively, offensively,” Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker said. “We’ve all been clicking on the same page. I feel like we’re kind of back to where we were in the beginning of the year. Just keep it rolling. We’re not gonna win every game but just win every series.”
–Field Level Media