Braves Austin Riley out for rest of season

ATLANTA — With the Mets clutching onto hope that Francisco Lindor can still be a factor at the close of the season, the Braves gave up hope that one of their stars could still help.Third baseman Austin Riley is done for the season, Braves manager Brian Snitker said, after a CT scan on his fractured right hand did not show enough healing.“It’s not where the doctors wanted it to be,” Snitker said Monday before opening the critical series against the Mets with a 5-1 win at Truist Park.Riley has been out since Aug.18, when Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz drilled Riley’s hand with a fastball.

It became one more devastating injury in a season filled with them for the Braves.At the time, the Braves suggested it would be a six-to-eight week absence.

A little over five weeks later, the Braves did not see enough progress for optimism to remain.Riley, an All-Star in 2022 and 2023 and who owned a .783 OPS in 110 games before going down, joins Spencer Strider (elbow surgery) and Ronald Acuña Jr.(ACL tear) as Atlanta standouts who won’t be seen on the field again this season.

The Braves also had lost center fielder Michael Harris II and second baseman Ozzie Albies for significant chunks, but they have returned and were the club’s Nos.1 and 2 hitters Tuesday.Former Yankee Gio Urshela has become Atlanta’s everyday third baseman in Riley’s place.“He’s still in a cast, so realistically, it was going to be pretty tough for him,” Snitker said of Riley....