Do Braves' postseason hopes hinge on Riley's health?

This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ATLANTA -- Within my first newsletter after the All-Star Game, I wrote these words:

Second-half goal: Stay healthy

Without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves still have the potential to win their second World Series within the past four seasons. But one more significant injury would likely be the crushing blow.

Two days after this newsletter was published, Ozzie Albies suffered the left wrist fracture that will keep him sidelined for at least a couple more weeks. Still, even as the losses mounted over the weeks that followed, it still felt like the Braves could make a strong push if they earned a postseason spot.

But if Austin Riley has suffered a significant right hand or wrist injury on Sunday, then it might be time to realize the Braves finally reached their breaking point, more than four months after losing their Cy Young Award favorite and nearly three months after losing the reigning NL MVP.

Riley was hit on the right wrist with a 97-mph fastball on Sunday. He exited the game to undergo tests that were inconclusive. The severity of the ailment and a timeline will be known after he undergoes further evaluation in Atlanta.

Is that good, bad, indifferent? Who knows? But when a team has been punched as much as this one has, it’s hard to be optimistic.

There should be some excitement leading into this week’s three-game series against the Phillies at Truist Park. The Braves have righted themselves by winning five of their past seven games. Despite going 13-16 since the All-Star break, the Braves (66-58) actually made up 1 1/2 games on the first-place Phillies (73-51) within this span and now trail them by seven games with 38 games to play.

With seven of their next 14 games against the Phillies, the Braves have a chance to resuscitate their bid for a seventh straight NL East title.

Insurmountable deficit? Probably.

Insurmountable deficit without Riley? Definitely.

It has always bothered me to see somebody write or say something like, “Maybe it’s not our season.” Just sounds like something a defeatist says.

But given all that has happened to the Braves this year, you could argue that it’s what a realist says.

Maybe after six great years, the Braves were due for a year like this. But if you subscribe to this theory, then you have to have an even greater respect for the 14 consecutive division titles Atlanta won from 1991-2005.

Even if you want to say the Expos would have won in 1994, the Braves still managed to win each of the 11 division races that followed.

Within the next two weeks, you will know if there is a realistic chance for the Braves to win a seventh straight division crown. They might need to take six of the seven games they will play against Philadelphia during this span.

Actually, they might have to do a lot of things over this season’s final six weeks. Things they won’t be able to do without a healthy Riley.

Riley has underperformed offensively, but with five homers over his past 17 games, he at least rekindled hopes for a fourth straight 30-homer season. More importantly, his absence kills the dynamic the Braves possess when their lineup begins with Jorge Soler, Riley, Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson. That’s an immediate challenge for any opposing pitcher.

Michael Harris II helped lengthen the lineup when he came off the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Four innings later, Soler exited with a left hamstring ailment that sidelined him through this past weekend’s series.

Soler could be back in the lineup on Tuesday, when the Braves have All-Star Reynaldo López coming of the injured list to start the series opener against the Phillies.

Will Riley be back in the lineup that night? Will he back this season?

You’re right, Braves fans. This year, you have not been able to have nice things.

It has always bothered me to see somebody write or say something like, “Maybe it’s not our season.” Just sounds like something a defeatist says.

But given all that has happened to the Braves this year, you could argue that it’s what a realist says.

Maybe after six great years, the Braves were due for a year like this. But if you subscribe to this theory, then you have to have an even greater respect for the 14 consecutive division titles Atlanta won from 1991-2005.

Even if you want to say the Expos would have won in 1994, the Braves still managed to win each of the 11 division races that followed.

Within the next two weeks, you will know if there is a realistic chance for the Braves to win a seventh straight division crown. They might need to take six of the seven games they will play against Philadelphia during this span.

Actually, they might have to do a lot of things over this season’s final six weeks. Things they won’t be able to do without a healthy Riley.

Riley has underperformed offensively, but with five homers over his past 17 games, he at least rekindled hopes for a fourth straight 30-homer season. More importantly, his absence kills the dynamic the Braves possess when their lineup begins with Jorge Soler, Riley, Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson. That’s an immediate challenge for any opposing pitcher.

Michael Harris II helped lengthen the lineup when he came off the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Four innings later, Soler exited with a left hamstring ailment that sidelined him through this past weekend’s series.

Soler could be back in the lineup on Tuesday, when the Braves have All-Star Reynaldo López coming of the injured list to start the series opener against the Phillies.

Will Riley be back in the lineup that night? Will he back this season?

You’re right, Braves fans. This year, you have not been able to have nice things.