Atlanta Braves Announce Austin Riley Change Before Nationals Series

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 05: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves rounds third base on the way to score on a two-RBI single by Drake Baldwin #30 in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on August 05, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

After dropping their one-off game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday by a score of 7-3, the Atlanta Braves have traveled to the Nation’s Capital to take on the Washington Nationals this week.

Before the Nationals series, the Braves announced their game one lineup, which features a notable Austin Riley change.

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Austin Riley Bumped to 7th in the Braves Batting Order

After batting 8th for several consecutive games, Austin Riley is batting 7th in the series opener against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

Per @UnderdogMLB, here is the full Braves order for 9/1:

Braves 9/1: “D. Baldwin C R. Acuña Jr. RF M. Olson 1B M. Harris II CF M. Dubón 2B O. Albies DH A. Riley 3B B. Hicklen LF H. Kim SS A. Smith-Shawver SP”

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Braves 9/1

D. Baldwin C R. Acuña Jr. RF M. Olson 1B M. Harris II CF M. Dubón 2B O. Albies DH A. Riley 3B B. Hicklen LF H. Kim SS

A. Smith-Shawver SP

2:46 pm · 1 Sep 2026

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Other notable changes include Drake Baldwin getting the start behind the plate to form a battery with AJ Smith-Shawver, and Brewer Hicklen getting the start out in left field for the first time since being recalled from AAA.

The Braves have a 4.0 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, so this Washington Nationals series is important as they try to create more separation in the division.

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Taking a Look at Austin Riley This Season

Austin Riley has been a mainstay in the Braves’ batting order this entire year.

He had a very solid month of August and could be turning a corner after a season-long slump.

Over 136 games played in 2026, Austin Riley carries a bWAR of 0.9, and he’s batting .222 with 15 home runs, 21 doubles, and an OPS+ of 82.

While those aren’t great numbers for what Riley is being paid, his everyday status has helped the Braves stay consistent, and if Riley can get hot at the right time, this Braves offense is an even stronger force in the National League.

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