Braves Receive Austin Riley Injury Update Before Yankees Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin M. Groe | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 6:44 PM ET

Right-handed slugger Austin Riley is in his seventh season as a member of the Atlanta Braves.

The third baseman was selected in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft and debuted on the Braves’ major league roster in 2019.

Since then, the 28-year-old third baseman has cemented himself in the middle of the lineup, delivering consistent power and production. Over 812 career games for the Braves, Riley owns a .272 batting average, an .831 OPS, 167 home runs and 477 RBIs. He’s also earned two All-Star selections, collected two Silver Slugger Awards and played a crucial role in Atlanta’s 2021 World Series championship run.

This year’s season has been rough for the Braves, and it got worse when Riley landed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right abdomen. He sustained the injury during the July 11 game against the St. Louis Cardinals—feeling the strain while fielding a bunt in the second inning and ultimately exiting in the fourth.

On Friday, before facing the New York Yankees, Riley took batting practice and expressed confidence that he’ll rejoin the lineup next week.

Riley took BP today. He seems hopeful to be activated next week
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 18, 2025

Over 93 games in 2025, Riley has a .274 batting average, .764 OPS, 14 home runs and 48 RBIs.

Unfortunately, Atlanta has struggled, with key players enduring lengthy IL stints and multiple former All-Stars seeing their production dip, leaving the team at 42–53 entering the second half.

While Riley’s impending return offers a much-needed boost, a miraculous turnaround will be required for the Braves to climb back into playoff contention.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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