Braves' Austin Riley Surging at the Plate

Three key takeaways from the third baseman's recent power display

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:49pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the motion and energy of a baseball game, with no recognizable figures or text.A cubist interpretation of Braves slugger Austin Riley's recent power surge, capturing the dynamic energy of his swing and the game's action.Atlanta Today

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley has been on a tear at the plate lately, delivering his first multi-home run game of the season in a 9-0 win over the Phillies. With a solid sample size assembled, there are three key takeaways from Riley's recent resurgence.

Why it matters

Riley's recent surge is a positive sign for the Braves, as he is a key offensive contributor when he is hitting well. The Braves will need Riley to continue producing at the plate as they look to make a push in the NL East.

The details

During this recent stretch, Riley has finally found his power stroke, hitting home runs to the opposite field. He is now batting .400 with a 1.200 OPS to the opposite field, which manager Walt Weiss says is "a good sign" that Riley is "doing a lot of things right" at the plate. Riley has also been delivering in key spots, batting .318 with a .945 OPS with runners in scoring position. However, he has struggled in high-leverage situations, batting just .143 with a .286 OPS. Defensively, Riley has played clean baseball, going eight games without an error, which is a positive sign after he finished last season with a -2 defensive runs saved.

  • On Wednesday, Riley hit his first home run of the season.
  • On Friday, Riley delivered his first multi-home run game of the season.

The players

Austin Riley

The Atlanta Braves' starting third baseman who has been on a power surge at the plate lately.

Walt Weiss

The manager of the Atlanta Braves.

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What they’re saying

“That's really a good sign. As we all know, when you're hitting the ball hard the other way, you're doing a lot of things right.”

— Walt Weiss, Manager

What’s next

The Braves will look for Riley to continue his hot streak at the plate as they push for a playoff spot in the NL East.

The takeaway

Riley's recent power surge is a positive sign for the Braves, as he is a key offensive contributor when he is hitting well. However, he will need to improve his production in high-leverage situations to truly elevate the Braves' lineup.