The Atlanta Braves have the best record in Major League Baseball and have yet to lose a series this season.
It’s been a shock across the league, but even with the strong start, there are still some Braves players who aren’t really carrying their weight, and that includes Austin Riley. Riley, the highest-paid player in Braves franchise history, has been unable to produce at all at the plate this season, and it also seems to be affecting his third base defense as well.
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Why Has Austin Riley Struggled So Much?
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 18: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves high fives Mauricio Dubon #14 (right) after scoring on a single hit by Austin Riley #27 (not pictured) against the Philadelphia Phillies during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park on April 18, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Heather Barry/Getty Images)
The craziest part about Austin Riley’s struggles is the fact he was hitting so well in spring training before the season.
Through 32 games (most GP in MLB), Riley is hitting .190 with an OPS+ of 65. He has just 23 hits in 120+ at-bats. It’s been a rough start, and recently, AJC reporter Chad Bishop caught up with Austin Riley:
“It’s frustrating as hell right now, I can tell you that,”
There’s more in Bishop’s story, but it’s behind a paywall for AJC subscribers. His message remained the same: he’s very frustrated, doesn’t understand what has gone wrong this season, and hopes it doesn’t stick.
It’s still early, but the struggles don’t look pretty when in the box. He’s 0-for-17 in his last 17 ABs with nine strikeouts.
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Will Austin Riley Turn Things Around?
GettyKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JULY 28: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 28, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Everyone in Braves Country wants Austin Riley to turn things around, but it’s a difficult conversation that needs to be had.
Maybe Walt Weiss needs to drop him in the lineup, which wouldn’t be great for his confidence, but it could help in the sense of not seeing the best pitches from opposing starters.
The good news for the Braves is that they haven’t needed the services of Riley that much this season, but he can’t keep being a black hole in the lineup, because it may hurt Atlanta down the stretch of the regular season and into October.
Another reason it’s such a topic of conversation is his contract. He’s on a 10-year, $212 million deal that runs until 2032.
Over his eight-year MLB career, Riley is a .267 hitter with 172 home runs and 500 RBI.
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Braves’ Austin Riley Reveals Truth Behind Horrid Start to Season