The Atlanta Braves have been one of MLB’s best teams in 2026. Currently, they hold a record of 48-27, pacing the rest of the NL East. Unfortunately, that same luck hasn’t stretched to third baseman Austin Riley.
Riley, 29, was once thought to be the ‘next big thing’ in the Big A. His breakout 2021 season was the first of three consecutive six-WAR campaigns. More recently, though, he’s averaged out.
After signing a ten-year, $212 million contract, it looked like the Braves had locked down the hot corner. After a few injuries and some lackluster production, questions have arisen.
This season, Riley is slashing a mere .213/.292/..354. His OPS+ of 82 would be by far a career worst. Additionally, his defense has been subpar to say the least.
Scouts always said if the bat lagged, Riley may have to move from third base; now, some analysts are tiring of their wait.
Matt Chernoff Makes Bold Austin Riley Claim
In a recent post on @680thefan, Matt Chernoff made a strong claim.
“At this point, this is who Austin Riley is,” said Chernoff. “It hurts me to say it, because I thought, and I distinctly remember doing this on the show, a side-by-side of Chipper Jones and Austin Riley in their first three or four years. I was like, ‘Austin’s trending as well, if not better in some areas than Chipper Jones.’ …
“We’re now at a point where we have to realize he’s not a dude anymore. He’s just a dude. He was THE dude, now he’s just a dude. And it’s not age. He’s not old. It’s not a health thing as far as I know. It’s just who he is, and he’s been this now for two and a half years. He’s just an average player. Now you have to always factor in the money. We do, he’s the highest-paid player on the team. That’s gonna come into play all the time. I hope this changes, but the player we’re watching, for example. Austin has been better as of late. He had a good homestand. But in May, Austin’s hit .260, slugged .481, he’s got a .791 OPS, 120 wRC+, those numbers are good. He’s got five home runs in May and 14 RBI. But you know what they’ve done to his [overall] numbers? Put him on pace to get to average.”
Chernoff’s opinion seems to be validated by Riley’s recent play.
In the last three seasons combined, Riley has less Baseball Reference WAR than he had in any single season from 2021 to 2023.
Unfortunately, fans are in win-now mode in Atlanta–and the team can’t afford to wait around.
Social Media Reacts to the 2026 Atlanta Braves
Here’s what people are saying:
The Skippers View: “Ozzie Albies just called off the Brewers. People forget the Braves locked him up for 7-years $35 million back in 2019. Highway robbery.”
Sarah Langs: “Ozzie Albies is the first Braves player with multiple home runs in a game, including a walk-off homer, since Justin Upton on 4/6/13.”
Expected Chop: “Braves fans will focus on the Dubón RBIs and the Eli White throw, but there’s another play that saved the game. This play had a ***5% CATCH PROBABILITY***. White covered 93 feet in 4.9 seconds. One of the best Braves plays this season, and of the Statcast era.”
Braves May Have $212 Million Problem In Austin Riley