Braves 3B Austin Riley out 6-8 weeks with hand fracture

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley was identified Monday with a fractured proper hand and can miss the subsequent 6-8 weeks, doubtlessly ending his season.

Riley left Sunday’s street sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Angels when he was hit within the hand by a pitch from right-hander Jack Kochanowicz.

After preliminary medical examinations have been inconclusive, Riley underwent an MRI on Monday after the group returned to Atlanta.

The Braves are set to open a key three-game collection in opposition to the first-place Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. Proper-hander Reynaldo Lopez will begin for Atlanta within the collection opener after he was reinstated from the injured record Monday following a bout with forearm irritation. Proper-hander Jimmy Herget was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.

The Braves are seven video games behind the Phillies within the Nationwide League East and in possession of the ultimate wild-card spot within the NL, two video games up on the New York Mets.

Riley, 27, is batting .256 with 19 residence runs and 56 RBIs in 110 video games this season as he has rebounded from a sluggish begin when he had three residence runs and 20 RBIs in his first 53 video games.

In six seasons with the Braves, Riley has batted .272 with 153 residence runs and 429 RBIs in 719 video games. He’s a two-time All-Star (2022, 2023) and completed within the high seven of Nationwide League MVP voting in every of the earlier three seasons.

Atlanta has struggled with accidents all season. Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) and right-hander Spencer Strider (elbow) are out for the 12 months. The Braves are with out second baseman Ozzie Albies (wrist) till September and are additionally lacking setup man A.J. Minter (hip).

Lopez, 30, is 7-4 with a 2.06 ERA in 19 begins this season. Herget, 30, was 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in eight reduction appearances.

–Area Stage Media