Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley will miss the remainder of the season after having core injury surgery.
The Braves announced the procedure was performed by Dr. William Meyers on Thursday in Philadelphia. The 28-year-old Riley, who was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months on Aug. 4 with a strained lower abdominal muscle, is expected to return in time for spring training next year.
Riley first landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen, returned to action on July 25 and finished the season hitting .260 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs.
A first-round pick of the 2015 MLB draft, Riley made his Atlanta debut in 2019 and was part of the team’s World Series championship run two years later, when he was an All-MLB first-team selection and a Silver Slugger Award winner for the first time. He received each of those individual honors again in 2023, when he was also an MLB All-Star for the second time after getting his first nod a year earlier.
Thursday was a busy day on the transactions front for the Braves, who were off before opening a three-game series against the New York Mets on Friday night at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
They claimed right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill off waivers from the Miami Marlins, optioned right-hander Dane Dunning to Triple-A Gwinnett, and added outfielder Jake Fraley — who was designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday before being claimed by the Braves — to their major league roster after optioning right-hander Connor Seabold to Gwinnett. In addition, left-hander Dylan Dodd was recalled from Gwinnett, and infielder Luke Williams was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained left oblique muscle.
Atlanta has reached the playoffs the past seven years, winning the National League East Division championship from 2018 to 2023 and earning a wild card to close the 2024 regular season, but the Braves started this 0-7 this year and have struggled for much of the season.
Despite a recent hot stretch of five series wins in their past six opportunities, the Braves are 58-69 overall and fourth in the NL East — 16 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. Atlanta is nine games out of the third and final wild card for the NL with less than six weeks remaining before the postseason begins.
