Austin Riley Development is Huge for Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves have started the 2026 season strong. Injuries were a problem in spring training, but the team has stepped up and overcome the injury adversity. Atlanta entered Friday night's contest against the Philadelphia Phillies in first place in the National League East with a 12-7 overall record. One player who they have needed to step up, however, is third baseman Austin Riley.

Riley has struggled for most of the season. It seems as if he may be heating up, however. Riley hit another home run during Friday's Braves-Phillies game in Philadelphia, and it was his second long ball in his past four at-bats.

Video via Mark Bowman:

Riley still needs to develop more consistency overall, but he is clearly seeing the ball well right now. He was limited to 110 games played or less in both 2024 and 2025, and his performance dwindled overall. He was one of the better third baseman in baseball from 2022-2023, however.

Can Riley get back to his All-Star form? Only time will tell. If he is able to stay healthy in 2026, Riley unquestionably has the potential to be a very good player.

Sometimes, all a player needs is a couple of good games to get going. If Riley is indeed on the verge of heating up and getting back on track, the Braves will benefit in a crucial manner to say the least.

As well as the Braves have played this season, the offense has had ups and downs at times. Riley could realistically change everything by performing up to his expectations.

Braves Looking to Defeat Phillies

Friday night's game represents the first of a three-game series between the Braves and Phillies in Philadelphia. Atlanta holds a 7-0 lead over Philadelphia as of this story's writing. The game is not over and the score could obviously change, but the Braves are in a good position at the moment.

Earning a series win over the Phillies would feel like a big statement. Philadelphia and the New York Mets were the favorites in the National League East entering the season. Atlanta has already made a statement by performing well, but earning a head-to-head win with the Phillies would be crucial.