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Austin Riley begins rehab assignment Friday after chance to ‘reset’

Michael Austin Riley was born April 2, 1997 in Memphis, Tenn. The Braves drafted Riley in the first round in 2015 (41st overall) out of DeSoto Central HS in Southaven, Miss. Riley hit 19 home runs in 408 at-bats in 2018, spending most of the season at Double-A or Triple-A. Riley hit 20 homers in 484 at-bats in 2017 at high Single-A and Double-A. He hit 20 homers (495 ABs) in 2016 and 12 homers (217 ABs) in 2015. Riley made his Triple-A debut May 7, 2018 for the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. Riley had two fo
By
Aug 22, 2019

The Braves’ Austin Riley, sidelined with a partially torn knee ligament for two weeks, will begin a minor-league rehab assignment at Rome on Friday. The Braves hope his bat, as well as his knee, will prove to be reinvigorated by his time on the injured list.

“Hopefully he can … come back and do what he did when he came up the first time,” manager Brian Snitker said Thursday.

After being promoted from Triple-A Gwinnett to the big leagues May 15, Riley hit nine home runs in his first 18 games and 16 in his first 48. But he homered only once after July 6 and went on the injured list Aug. 8 with an injury sustained in the weight room.

Snitker suggested the injury might have given Riley an opportunity to “push the reset button.”

“This might have been a good time to let his mind ease and start fresh,” Snitker said. “It could be a big boost if he goes down, rehabs, comes back and does what he did before.”

>> ALSO: Braves bidding fond farewell to Marlins

About the Author

Tim Tucker, a long-time AJC sports reporter, often writes about the business side of the games. He also had stints as the AJC's Braves beat writer, UGA beat writer, sports notes columnist and executive sports editor. He was deputy managing editor of America's first all-sports newspaper, The National Sports Daily.

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