NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Austin Riley hit a couple tape-measure shots during Saturday's batting practice and then returned to the Braves' lineup a little more than 24 hours after fearing he might have broken his right hand yet again.

“We dodged a bullet,” Riley said. “It didn’t feel good, but I woke up today -- and even yesterday afternoon -- it was already feeling better.”

Riley was still feeling relieved when he batted second and played third base in Saturday night’s 4-0 split-squad loss to the Twins. He went 1-for-3 with a double in the fourth.

The third baseman experienced a scare on Friday when his right hand was hit by a 94 mph fastball thrown by Nationals Minor League pitcher Jackson Rutledge. This was the same hand that was fractured by Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz’s 97 mph fastball on Aug. 18.

Unlike last year, when the fracture sidelined him for the regular season’s final six weeks, results from a CT scan showed no structural damage this time around. He may have been saved by the extra padding that sports equipment company Mizuno placed in his batting gloves this year.

“It hit pretty close to where it did in August,” Riley said. “That’s the first thing that popped in my mind. But as the hours went on, it started to feel better. It's honestly pretty good today.”

Riley issued these comments after hitting in the batting cage early Saturday afternoon. After he hit a couple of balls that bounced off the center-field concourse and exited the stadium during batting practice, he was placed in Saturday night’s lineup.

This was another promising injury-related development for the Braves, who were ravaged by injuries last year. Jurickson Profar has missed the past week with the bone bruise he suffered when he rolled his left wrist while attempting to make a sliding catch on March 8. Profar could be cleared to take batting practice on Monday. The left fielder remains on schedule to be ready for Opening Day.

Sean Murphy will begin the season on the injured list with cracked ribs. But the performance of Drake Baldwin -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as Atlanta's top prospect -- over the past couple weeks has given the Braves confidence the catching position will be in good hands while Murphy misses a week or two of the regular season.

Having fun
AJ Smith-Shawver recorded two strikeouts in the first inning of Saturday’s game against the Twins and then was removed after allowing four singles in the second. But the re-entry rule gave the 22-year-old hurler an opportunity to put a fitting end to an impressive night. He exited after beginning the fifth with his eighth strikeout.

Smith-Shawver’s fastball sat in the upper 90s and his curveball showed good bite. The changeup he added to his arsenal before last season froze a few hitters. The 22 year-old hurler fanned nearly half (eight of 18) the batters he faced and didn’t issue a walk. A two-out single in the fourth accounted for the only hit he surrendered after the second-inning hiccup.

Smith-Shawver, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Braves' No. 3 prospect, remains a candidate to begin the season in Atlanta’s rotation. The Braves play seven straight games to begin the season, so he could be used to start a game during that stretch or be used as a long reliever.

Neris debut
Héctor Neris signed a Minor League deal with Atlanta after camp began and finally made his spring debut Saturday night, throwing a perfect seventh inning against the Twins. The veteran reliever, who posted a 1.71 ERA in 71 appearances for the Astros in 2023, should have time to make at least two more appearances in Grapefruit League games. He stands as one of the strongest candidates in the battle for the final bullpen spots.

Prepping for Opening Day
Baldwin served as Chris Sale’s batterymate yet again during Saturday’s 7-3 split-squad win over the Red Sox. The top prospect has been behind the plate for each of Sale’s past three starts and will likely be in that same role on Opening Day.

Sale took another step toward his expected Opening Day assignment by striking out nine over six innings. The former Boston hurler also paid homage to Red Sox legend Luis Tiant with his first pitch.