Braves Austin Riley Looking Close to Return to Action

Austin Riley is closing in on his return to the Atlanta Braves lineup. Manager Brian Snitker said that he’s continued to do running drills and will get another evaluation on how he’s feeling on Monday. 

The Braves' third baseman is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, but they still have to decide if he needs a few more games. If he’s ready when he’s eligible, the Braves will activate him. 

Snitker thought the hitting went “OK,” as in there have been no issues when Riley tries to swing a bat. A remaining test is to see how he feels while he’s fielding. 

“It’s just making the same move that was hurting when he came in on the slow roller,” Snitker said. “So, they wanted to do that again before they decide.” 

Riley has been out since July 12 with a strained right abdomen. He injury came the night before in the series opener with the St. Louis Cardinals when he exited the game early. Having him back as soon as he’s eligible is a best-case scenario for the Braves. 

The injury he sustained can take weeks to heal, and it’s apparent based on his status that it was a very mild case. 

Riley is batting .274 with a .764 OPS, 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 93 games this season. It’s been an up-and-down year for him, but he’s still one of the more important bats to be absent from the lineup. 

The team’s top position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr., has been filling in at third base during Riley’s absence. In five games played this season, Alvarez has been batting .222 with a .578 OPS, no home runs and no RBIs. 

It’s an improvement on his 3-for-30 performance from last season when he made his Major League debut. We’ll have to wait and see if he sticks around in some role after Riley gets back or if he heads back to Triple-A to ensure he gets more playing time.

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