After Sunday’s thrilling series-clincher in Minnesota, Brian Snitker informed the media of some news nobody in Braves Country wanted to hear. Rookie Austin Riley will be heading to the 10-day IL with a knee ligament injury that he suffered while working out yesterday – Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Riley will be placed on the IL with a knee ligament injury he suffered while working out in the weight room yesterday.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 7, 2019
This is the writing on the wall for who will be sent down when Dansby Swanson is ready to return, which could be a few more days. Riley will take some time off, and likely rehab on the farm for a few games before the rosters expand in September, assuming he will be healthy by then.
It is miserable timing because the Braves are going to need their rookie phenom to come back to form if they want to make a push for a World Series trophy. He’s mired in a mega-slump but looked to be on his way out of it over the last week or so. Now, who knows what type of impact he will have on the rest of the season.