The Atlanta Braves have been decimated by injuries throughout the 2024 season.
Monday, the Braves announced third baseman Austin Riley would miss six to eight weeks after an MRI revealed a right-hand fracture. Riley’s injury, which could hold him out for the season, is just the latest in an unfortunate string of setbacks that have derailed a once-promising season.
Atlanta entered the 2024 season as the six-time defending NL East Champions and remains poised to make a seventh-consecutive postseason appearance. At the time of Riley’s injury, however, the franchise is seven games back of the division lead and has already matched its loss total (68) from last season.
As the Braves look to stay in the postseason picture, a glimpse at the mounting list of injuries shows just how difficult that might be.
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Atlanta Braves injuries
The announcement of Riley’s injury comes just days after 2022 Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II returned from the inactive list with a left hamstring injury.
Looming largest are the absences of 2023 MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., and Opening Day starting pitcher Spencer Strider, both of whom are out for the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing surgery. Three-time All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies also remains out with a wrist injury.
| Player | Injury | Date | Status |
| Seam Murphy | Left oblique strain | March 26-May 27 | — |
| Spencer Strider | UCL surgery | April 13 | Out for season |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | ACL surgery | May 26 | Out for season |
| Michael Harris II | Left hamstring strain | June 14-Aug. 15 | — |
| Orlando Arcia | Abscessed tooth | July 2-4 | — |
| Ozzie Albies | Left wrist fracture | July 21 | Out 8 weeks |
| Austin Riley | Right hand fracture | Aug. 19 | Out 6-8 weeks |
It is worth noting that each of the above seven players was a part of Atlanta’s Opening Day lineup, which resulted in a 9-3 romp of the Phillies in a rematch of last year’s NLDS.
Braves Opening Day lineup in Philadelphia:
RF Acuña Jr.
2B Albies
3B Riley
1B Olson
DH Ozuna
CF Harris II
C Murphy
SS Arcia
LF KelenicRHP Spencer Strider
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) March 29, 2024
In addition to the above seven injuries, the Braves have dealt with freak accidents like second baseman Whit Merrifield’s “gnarly” finger injury during warm-ups ahead of his debut with the team.
Adding literal insult to injury, Atlanta acquired Merrifield as a stopgap days after Albies’ injury, further complicating lineup decisions.
Former World Series MVP Jorge Soler, who returned to Atlanta ahead of the trade deadline, has also dealt with a nagging hamstring injury and has been in and out of the lineup as of late.
Through it all, Atlanta remains firmly in the NL Wild Card race and will look to hold on despite a season of ups, downs, and unfortunate injuries. While a six-to-eight-week timeline likely keeps Riley out past the final day of the season, Atlanta could see Albies return for the last few series of the year.
Albies’ return could be the final push that keeps Atlanta on pace for a postseason berth. In 2021, the Braves rallied after Acuna’s ACL injury to win the second World Series of the Atlanta era.
Three years later, they’ll look to pull off a similar rally with even more significant injuries impacting the roster.