{"id":73739,"date":"2025-08-05T08:25:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T08:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=73739"},"modified":"2025-08-05T08:25:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T08:25:16","slug":"update-austin-riley-injury-is-just-one-more-reason-the-braves-need-wholesale-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=73739","title":{"rendered":"Update: Austin Riley injury is just one more reason the Braves need wholesale change"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Atlanta Braves know that there’s a future beyond 2025, right?<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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\"Atlanta<\/picture><\/div>
Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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For all of the many great things about older sports video games, one that never gets talked about is how one season in your franchise\/dynasty mode is just that: one season. There were no long-term ramifications if a player tore his ACL or fractured his arm.<\/p>\n

Real life is not like an old sports video game, and someone needs to tell the\u00a0Atlanta Braves.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been pretty clear for several weeks now that the Braves, despite Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr.\u2019s best efforts,\u00a0will not make the playoffs. Atlanta entered Monday at 47-63 and are 14 games back in the Wild Card race. Only the\u00a0Chicago White Sox,\u00a0Washington Nationals, and\u00a0Colorado Rockies\u00a0have a lower winning percentage than the Braves\u2019 .427, and that\u2019s only\u00a0part\u00a0of Atlanta\u2019s disastrous 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n

Yet, the Braves are still taking unnecessary risks by continuing to play their best players through various injuries and ailments. Take All-Star third baseman Austin Riley, who landed on the IL on Monday after reaggravating a previous abdominial strain; Riley had just come off the Injured List a couple of weeks ago due to the same injury.<\/p>\n

Acu\u00f1a went on the IL last week with a calf strain, though he and the Braves initially feared he hurt his Achilles. Incredibly, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker allowed Acu\u00f1a \u2014 the face of the Braves and a perennial MVP candidate \u2014 to play last Tuesday\u00a0despite\u00a0<\/em>reporting discomfort in his calf area. Keep in mind that Acu\u00f1a returned in late May after returning from a torn ACL.<\/p>\n

On an unrelated, Atlanta also has five starting pitchers on the 60-day injured list.<\/p>\n

The Braves must learn from the Austin Riley and Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. injuries<\/h2>\n

Snitker is expected to retire upon season\u2019s end, so anything that happens doesn\u2019t necessarily affect him in the long term. If he does indeed hang it up for good, then he won\u2019t need to worry about Acu\u00f1a\u2019s Achilles or Riley\u2019s abdomen. The players will, though, and Snitker\u2019s replacement certainly will have to deal with it.<\/p>\n

By no means are we encouraging the Braves to tank or do anything to intentionally forego winning. However, there is no reason for the Braves to play any key players who self-report noteworthy soreness, extensive fatigue or anything that could cause them to miss significant time beyond Game 162.<\/p>\n

At this point in the year, why even take the risk? Who cares that Nacho Alvarez Jr. is 9-for-60 as a big-league hitter? The Braves are better off ending Riley\u2019s season early and giving Alvarez the rest of the year at third base. Acu\u00f1a may\u00a0want\u00a0<\/em>to play later this month, but that doesn\u2019t mean that he\u00a0needs\u00a0<\/em>to play.<\/p>\n

Snitker has been around baseball long enough that he can surely find a way to balance trying to win without endangering his best players. If he and the Braves don\u2019t change strategies soon, then they may as well kiss their 2026 title hopes goodbye before 2025 even ends.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Atlanta Braves know that there’s a future beyond 2025, right? 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