Phillies Archrivals Receive Massive Injury News Ahead of Upcoming Matchup

Ahead of their huge divisional showdown, the Philadelphia Phillies archrival Atlanta Braves received some major injury news.

Oct 7, 2023; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) turns a double play over Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) during the eighth inning during game one of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Truist Park / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

It feels like the Philadelphia Phillies are coming out of their prolonged slump.

Following their embarrassing 10-game road trip that ended on August 11, they returned home and were immediately shut out by the Miami Marlins that had everyone in a full panic.

Fortunately, the offense finally woke up, scoring 30 runs during their four-game winning streak that started in the finale against the Marlins and carried over into three contests against the Washington Nationals.

After this recent good stretch of play was ended on Sunday in a 6-4 loss against the Nationals, the Phillies now have a day off on Monday before hitting the road to face their archrival Atlanta Braves that could have massive NL East implications.

Philadelphia leads by seven games in the divisional standings at the moment, but if they drop multiple contests in this series, or if they get swept, that comfortable separation would shrink in the blink of an eye.

Attempting to win an NL East crown for the first time since 2011, the Phillies can't afford to not be ready for this matchup as the Braves have a huge opportunity to put real pressure on their rivals for the first time in many months.

But if Atlanta is going to accomplish that, they'll have to do it without one of their best players.

According to the Braves' team account, Austin Riley suffered a fractured hand after he was hit by a pitch during Sunday's game. He's expected to miss six to eight weeks as he recovers, so his regular season is now likely over.

Riley has been a staple in Atlanta's lineup, posting a career slash line of .272/.338/.502 with 153 home runs and 429 RBI across 719 games in his six years with the team. His OPS+ is 23 points above the league average and he's earned two All-Star Game selections and won two Silver Slugger awards.

This will be a tough loss for the Braves as they get set to host Philadelphia for a very important matchup that could go a long way in determining who will win this division.