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The Atlanta Braves lost two-time All-Star Austin Riley to an injury Friday when he was hit by a pitch in a sensitive area.
Here's the Riley HBP along with Arcia nearly getting hit in the same location pic.twitter.com/HQYaJAPNZH
— Gaurav (@gvedak) March 14, 2025
Riley absorbed a Jackson Rutledge pitch in the same area where he suffered a fractured right wrist in 2024, an injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the regular season.
Same hand/wrist that he fractured in August https://t.co/6huoXsgK2E
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 14, 2025
According to Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Riley's hand is not fractured and he is day-to-day.
While Bowman notes that Riley was able to shake hands and toss a helmet to the Braves' first base coach with his right hand, the danger of getting hit by a pitch in the same area as his 2024 fracture apparently wasn't lost on the star third baseman's teammates in the moment.
Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia "didn't seem happy" with a high-and-tight pitch from Rutledge in the second inning, according to MASN's Mark Zuckerman.
Potentially some intrigue here in North Port: Austin Riley left the game after getting hit by a Jackson Rutledge pitch on the right hand. Orlando Arcia then didn't seem happy with a high-and-tight pitch. And now Spencer Schwellenbach plunked CJ Abrams on the side the next inning.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 14, 2025
Atlanta's starting pitcher, Spencer Schwellenbach, hit Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams on the side in the third inning with two outs and no runners on base.
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Riley was slashing .256/.322/.461 on Aug. 18, 2024, when he was hit by a pitch in the first inning of Atlanta's game in Anaheim against the Angels. He was diagnosed with a right hand fracture and spent the remainder of the season on the injured list.
RIley, 27, is a two-time National League All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner.
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In the three seasons prior to his injury (2021-23), Riley had missed a total of eight games while averaging 36 home runs and 99 RBIs in the regular season for the Braves, who won the National League East each year.
Riley hit .320 (8 for 25) in the 2021 World Series, which Atlanta won in six games over the Houston Astros.
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Without Riley and other star players, the 2024 season ended with the Braves out of first place for the first time since 2017.
In 11 Grapefruit League games this spring, Riley is hitting .308 (8 for 26) with two doubles, a home run, and two RBIs.
More news: All-Star Shortstop Leaves Game With Scary Injury After Being Hit By Pitch
Riley is signed through 2032 under the terms of a 10-year, $212 million extension.
The Braves begin their regular season on March 27 against the Padres in San Diego.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
About the writer
J.P. Hoornstra writes and edits Major League Baseball content. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers ... Read more