ATLANTA (AP) — The injury-plagued Atlanta Braves have sustained another major blow, announcing Monday that third baseman Austin Riley will miss at least the rest of the regular season after breaking his right hand.
Riley was struck Sunday by a 97 mph fastball from Los Angeles Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz in the first inning of Atlanta’s 3-1 victory.
An MRI confirmed the fracture. Riley will miss six to eight weeks, which knocks him out through the regular season and likely into the playoffs should the Braves qualify.
Atlanta held a two-game lead over the New York Mets for the final wild-card spot heading into a three-game series against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies that begins Tuesday.
The Braves have won six straight division titles, but that streak is in jeopardy after a rash of injuries left the team seven games behind the Phillies. A wild-card spot seems the most likely path to a seventh straight postseason appearance, with Atlanta holding a two-game lead over the New York Mets for the final spot.