Update on Austin Riley Comes as Atlanta Braves Continue Playoff Push

Originally posted on Atlanta Braves on SI
By Harrison Smajovits | Last updated Sep 20, 2024 5:54 PM ET

An update on the status of Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley arrived ahead of Friday's game against the Miami Marlins.

According to multiple sources, Riley is getting a CT scan on Monday to check the status of his hand. The results of the test will determine if he can have his cast removed.

It was also revealed which bone broke: The hamate bone. It's at the bottom of the hand and helps form part of the wrist joint.

#Braves 3B Austin Riley will have a CT scan on Monday to determine if his broken right hand is healed fully and if he can remove the cast. By the way, it was the hamate bone that he broke, he said today. The base of that small bone.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) September 20, 2024

Austin Riley is due for a CT scan Monday, and the result could dictate whether he can get his cast off. You know Riley — he’s hoping to be back in time for the postseason, should the Braves make it. The fracture was to the base of his hamate on his right hand.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) September 20, 2024

In turn, the status of Riley’s hand after getting the test will determine if we will see him again in 2024. This is step one of the return process. Find out if he's healed up and go from there.

Riley has been out since Aug. 18 with a right hand fracture. At the time of his injury, Riley was batting .257 with a .783 OPS, 19 home runs and 56 RBIs over 110 games. The Braves were 60-50 in games Riley played and 66-58 overall at the time of his injury. Since then, the Braves are 17-12 and 23-20 without Riley overall. Record-wise, it’s clear they are better with their usual third baseman in the lineup.

Even if the difference is a few games, that’s the difference between the Braves and the Mets in the standings. Baseball is a game of slim margins after all. Just move the decimal over two places to the right when looking at a batting average to get a better idea.

It just shows how much a hit-by-pitch can impact a team’s season. Multiple players on the Braves have had to sit out at least a game because of one. Whit Merrifield put MLB on blast for it earlier this month.

His fill-ins, while serviceable, haven’t been able to make up for his production either. Gio Urshela looked like a find fill-in at first but has greatly fallen off since the start of September.

The important part is that Riley is healing and could be back for the playoffs. However, the Braves need to get there.

This article first appeared on Atlanta Braves on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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