Braves rookie Riley has partial ligament tear in right knee
The promising rookie season of Austin Riley is in jeopardy.
A preliminary diagnosis of the 22-year-old's right knee showed a partial tear in his lateral collateral ligament, Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said, according to Kelsey Wingert of FOX Sports South.
Riley will get checked out by a Braves specialist then meet with Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion on Monday to determine whether surgery is needed, The Athletic's David O'Brien added.
The Braves placed Riley on the 10-day injured list with a right knee ailment after he felt discomfort while preparing to work out in the weight room last Tuesday.
After slugging .561 with 16 home runs and 41 RBIs to begin his big-league career, Riley's second half has been a struggle. In 17 games, he's only managed a .512 OPS with one home run while striking out 21 times.
Overall, he's hitting .242/.294/.504 with 17 homers and 45 RBIs during his rookie campaign.
Before his injury, the Braves were considering optioning Riley to Triple-A when shortstop Dansby Swanson returned from the injured list next week, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.