ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 4: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves is seen during the first inning against the New York Mets astatine Truist Park connected July 4, 2026 successful Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Casey Sykes/Getty Images)
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The Atlanta Braves person managed to enactment astatine the apical of the leaderboards passim the 2026 play contempt an uneven campaign. But 1 of the club's biggest concerns has been the prolonged struggles for 1 of its franchise cornerstones, and clip is moving retired for him to move it around.
As Austin Riley's violative diminution comes adjacent to defining his astir disappointing play for the Braves yet, head Walt Weiss sent a connection that acknowledged conscionable really overmuch he has struggled astatine the plate, while offering a logic for immoderate optimism.
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Atlanta Braves Manager Walt Weiss Sends Austin Riley Message Amid Brutal Slump
Despite Riley's difficult campaign, Weiss believes location are caller examples wrong the statement that should springiness some the subordinate and the nine assurance that it’s not excessively precocious to move things around.
“We person a mates caller examples of guys who had really difficult first halves and past turned it astir pinch Michael Harris and (Ozzie) Albies past year,” Weiss said during an quality connected MLB Network Radio. “Really difficult first halves. And they turned it astir the 2nd half and they carried it into this year. So I deliberation there’s immoderate caller examples for Austin.”
The comments travel arsenic Riley attempts to reverse what has been arguably the worst play of his awesome convention career. Riley is batting conscionable .221, the worst mean successful his 8 years pinch the Braves.
The results are peculiarly concerning fixed the infielders’ 10-year, $212 cardinal contract, which has been a awesome disappointment pinch six much years to go.
“The return connected the Braves’ finance has paled of late,” Jesus Cano wrote for The Athletic. “His powerfulness declined successful 2024, and the inclination continued into 2025. Riley had season-ending injuries successful each year.”
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Given the size and long of Riley’s contract, the squad has small prime but to stay committed to him arsenic 1 of the faces of the franchise.
For now, Weiss is choosing optimism complete concern. Rather than viewing Riley's disappointing first half arsenic a motion of imperishable decline, the Braves want to judge that the caller examples from Harris and Albies connection a roadmap for Riley to bask a akin turnaround.
And while Riley remains successful a career-worst play astatine the plate, he has precocious shown immoderate improvement.
“The seasoned 3rd baseman still hasn’t gone connected 1 of those tears he regularly enjoyed while producing 3 consecutive 30-homer seasons from 2021-23,” Mark Bowman noted for MLB.com aft Riley ups his mean exit velocity pursuing the All-Star break. “But he besides doesn’t look for illustration the feline who entered the break hitting .207 pinch a .617 OPS.”
Though his play has been rather difficult, Riley will beryllium enjoying a agelong leash arsenic he looks to make a sustained improvement.
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