ATLANTA -- Austin Riley will enter the offseason while recovering from a season-ending injury for a second straight year.
Riley underwent core injury surgery in Philadelphia on Thursday. The procedure, which fixes what has often been called a sports hernia, requires at least a couple months of recovery and rehab. So, if all goes well, the Braves third baseman should enter Spring Training without any restrictions.
Riley felt lower abdominal discomfort when he made a throw across his body during a July 11 game in St. Louis. He remained on the injured list until July 25. But nine games later, he aggravated his lower abdominal muscles while diving and stretching to tag the Reds’ Elly De La Cruz out at the plate in the Speedway Classic.
The surgery puts an end to a second-straight frustration-filled season for Riley, who ranked ninth among all MLB players with a 16.1 fWAR from 2021-23. His 2024 season ended when his right hand was fractured by a pitch against the Angels on Aug. 18.
Riley seemed to have some lingering effects from last year’s season-ending injury. His power output was down as he hit .260 with 16 home runs and a .737 OPS over 102 games this year. The only lower homer total of his career was tallied in 2020, when he homered eight times in 51 games during the COVID-shortened season.
Nacho Alvarez will serve as the Braves’ third baseman over the remainder of the season. Braves manager Brian Snitker has suggested Alvarez might be best utilized as a utility player in the future. He has played great defense, while constructing a .681 OPS over 91 plate appearances this year.
Other roster notes
The Braves added depth to their injury-depleted pitching staff on Thursday, when they claimed Cal Quantrill off waivers from the Marlins. Quantrill, 30, posted a 5.50 ERA -- seventh highest among Major Leaguers with at least 100 innings thrown -- and a 1.39 WHIP in 24 starts for Miami. He struggled early, but he posted a 3.55 ERA over his next 15 starts. To make room for Quantrill, the Braves optioned Dane Dunning to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Connor Seabold was also optioned to Gwinnett to make room for the return of left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd.
Jake Fraley, who was claimed off waivers from the Reds earlier this week, was added to the active roster after Luke Williams was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique muscle. Williams has been primarily used as a late-inning replacement at the shortstop position and a pitcher when the Braves have been trailing by a wide margin. He has made six pitching appearances this season.