Here’s the latest from the rollercoaster that is the second half of the Atlanta Braves’ season. As always, there’s a bit of everything: injury updates, roster moves, and just enough silver lining to keep hope alive.
No Riley on Tuesday, But Don’t Panic Yet
Austin Riley won’t be activated Tuesday, the first day he was eligible to come off the IL. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Braves are playing it safe with their All-Star third baseman, and manager Brian Snitker made it clear they want to see how Riley looks and feels before putting him back in the lineup. Friday is now the more realistic return date.
This isn’t cause for panic — it’s called being smart. Riley’s injury happened on a slow roller back on July 11. While he’s reportedly moving well, there’s no reason to rush him, especially when you’ve got Nacho Alvarez Jr. holding it down at third with solid defense and just enough improvement at the plate to get by.
He’s only hitting .227 with a .565 OPS, but that’s better than last year’s numbers, and he’s flashing some leather, too. You can live with that for a few more days.
And when Riley does return, the Braves will be getting back a bat that’s been sneaky important. His line — .274/.764 OPS with 14 homers and 48 RBIs in 93 games — doesn’t scream MVP, but in this lineup, even steady production has been hard to come by. Atlanta needs his power and presence back, and they’re making sure he’s good to go when it happens.
Fairchild Out, León In For the Atlanta Braves
While Riley’s status gets the headlines, there’s movement happening elsewhere. The Braves made it official: Stuart Fairchild has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations.
He was DFA’d Monday to make room on the 40-man roster for catcher Sandy León, who was promoted to offer depth and injury insurance as the Braves lean on Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in the lineup.
Fairchild, who was acquired in the aftermath of Jurickson Profar’s PED suspension, served mostly as a bench option and pinch runner. In 26 games, he hit .216 with a .606 OPS, no home runs, and just two RBIs. Nothing flashy, and clearly not enough to hold a spot after Profar’s return and the team’s quiet shift in outfield depth.
That shift has now included moving on from Alex Verdugo and Fairchild in short order, leaving Eli White as the last man standing — and honestly, that’s not a bad call. White’s glove and speed give him value as a fourth outfielder, and he’s done enough to justify staying in the mix.
Riley’s return is close. The roster is getting reshaped around him. And while the Braves still have a long way to go in the standings, these little moves — smart injury management, clearing roster space, protecting your catchers — show a team trying to position itself for the stretch run just in case things start to click.
