Initial x-rays and a CT scan on s right wrist and hand were inconclusive after the third baseman was hit by a pitch in todays game with the Angels, Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including ). Riley will undergo an MRI tomorrow during the Braves off-day, as Snitker said the teams own medical staff wants to fully explore Rileys status. It could be viewed as an ominous sign that the first set of tests didnt definitively say whether or not Deandre Ayton Jersey Riley had suffered a break or a fracture, but it also stands to reason that the club would want to be as careful as po sible with one of its star players. Since were in the middle of August, a more serious type of injury could end Rileys season entirely, including both the regular season and whatever postseason run the Braves might yet enjoy. Just getting to the playoffs has been a lot more difficult than expected for Atlanta, as injuries and an unexpectedly average offense have contributed to a lot of inconsistency. The Braves are still 66-58 and in po se sion of the final NL wild card slot, but they hold only a two-game lead over the Mets for that wild card berth, and the Phillies remain seven games ahead of Atlanta in the NL East race. After bursting out of the gates to an 18-6 record in their first 24 games, the Braves have since posted a sub-.500 record (48-52) while weathering season-ending injuries to such stars as and . The rest of 2024 campaign is due to a fractured wrist, and both and have been out of the lineup in recent days. Riley also mi sed close to two weeks earlier this season due to an intercostal strain, though the Braves made the curious decision to not actually place him on the 10-day IL during that stretch, leaving the team short-handed for an extended period of time. The injury contributed to a very slow start to the season for Riley, but his bat has come to life as the season has gone on, with 16 home runs and .275/.337/.531 slash line over his last 285 plate appearances. Obviously theres no easy way for the Braves to replace such All-Star levels of production if Riley is facing a lengthy IL stint, and itll be even trickier to fill Rileys spot at third base now that the trade deadline has pa sed. took over at the hot corner today, and such veterans as and are at Triple-A as additional depth. As uncertain as Rileys situation may be, some injury relief is on the horizon for the rotation, as was announced as the starter for Atlantas game on Tuesday, when the Braves start an important series against the Phillies. Lopez will return after mi sing just slightly beyond the 15-day minimum after he was placed on the IL due to forearm inflammation on August 2. Lopezs start on July 28 was cut short by his injury, but tests revealed no structural damage. While even le s-serious types of forearm problems can linger, Lopez looks like he has been able to recover in pretty short order, and he got up to 71 pitches in a Triple-A rehab outing last Tuesday. Signed to a three-year, $30MM free agent deal last winter, Lopez has excelled in his return to starting pitching. Though he has worked almost exclusively as a reliever during the 2022-23 seasons with the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians, Lopez has posted a 2.06 ERA over 104 2/3 innings for Atlanta this season. Between Lopez, Cy Young Award candidate , and solid performances from , , and rookie , the Braves have limited the damage after Strider was lost for the year. Jalen Lecque Jersey