The Braves’ official account posted, “3B Austin Riley was removed from today’s game as a precaution after being hit by a pitch in his right hand.”
Riley missed the final 37 games of the season after getting hit by a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in August. That, combined with season-ending injuries to Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr, held the Braves back. But everyone should be back early in the season for a championship run.
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Now, Riley’s immediate future is in question. The Braves saying he left as a precaution is a good sign but by no means is the final diagnosis. Hopefully, Riley will miss just a few days of spring training and get back to the lineup in plenty of time for Opening Day.
The beginning of the season is particularly important for the Braves because of their opponents. They have a four-game series in San Diego against the Padres before visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers for three. Those seven games will show if the Braves are contenders in the National League, which ran through California last year.
A solid record in those seven games could also give them confidence heading into a tough NL East race. The Phillies and Mets are both expecting to have excellent seasons and the Braves will have to fend them off to win the division. If Riley misses any time, it could cost them just like it did last year.
Christopher Hennessy is an MLB associate editor at ClutchPoints, with additional expertise in the NHL and golf. He graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022, and he has work experience at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders reporter.
