Braves' turnaround depends on Austin Riley, and here's why

When Austin Riley is staying healthy and swinging strong, the Atlanta Braves can be tough to beat.

Neither of those things happened last season, and while it was far from the only reason the Braves underwhelmed, it was certainly one of the biggest.

For the Braves to bounce back in 2026, Riley needs to be better.

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Why Austin Riley might be Braves' X-factor

The Braves know what they get out of Matt Olson, who plays every day and is a star. 

They've got a superstar, Ronald Acuna Jr., and a Rookie of the Year, Drake Baldwin.

Ozzie Albies needs to bounce back, too. He and Riley really are the keys here.

For Riley, it's a combination of health and production that might go hand in hand.

"Last spring, Riley’s goal was to stay healthy, but things didn’t quite play out that way: He required core muscle surgery in August, suffering a season-ending injury for the second consecutive year," MLB.com's Jared Greenspan wrote in a new article on Saturday. "Riley also posted his worst numbers -- including an 86 OPS+ and a .428 slugging percentage -- since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The raw power is still in there somewhere, and a few tape-measure shots this spring would help restore our confidence."

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Riley's game has never been about contact. It's been about hitting long, towering home runs.

At his best, he's kind of like the third base version of Pete Alonso.

Just too often lately, Riley hasn't been at his best. The Braves still believe in him, and he still has a lot of potential MLB career left.

Health, and production. It sounds simple, but clearly it's not that easy. The Braves need Riley to find it again.

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