Austin Riley erupted onto the scene, winning National League rookie of the month (May) after only 17 games. He became the first Brave to blast double-digit homers in as few as 26 games. He tied a franchise rookie record with 16 bombs before the All-Star break.
Reality later set in. The left fielder/third baseman hit .200 (34-for-170) in June and July, homering once from July 6 through Aug. 8. On the latter date, he was placed on the injured list because of a partially torn LCL in his right knee.
After a 12-game rehab assignment, Riley rejoined the Braves on Friday following a 28-game absence. He hit .250 (12-for-48) in his rehab stint, which spanned Single-A Rome and Triple-A Gwinnett. Riley was encouraged by his at-bats and the progress of his knee, which has felt significantly better since he painlessly ran out a grounder during his first rehab game Aug. 23.
“It’s always good to be back, especially with the way things are going,” Riley said. “Knee feels great, swing is starting to feel really good, so it’s always a plus. Hopefully I’ll come up here and help these guys continue to roll.”
Riley is driving the ball to right-center, a promising sign by his own estimation. He thinks he’s seeing the ball well and staying on pitches. His return bolsters the Braves’ depth, adding another power bat to the mix.
He’ll be especially valuable if his power is restored. Riley swiftly dropped from rookie sensation to, “Should this guy be playing every day up here?” The slugger has 21 games to earn a spot on the postseason roster.
“Everyone knows I was struggling right before the injury,” said Riley, who hasn’t shied away from addressing his performance. “Right before the injury, a couple games before, I thought I was starting to click a little bit. Then the injury, to be able to go down and relax a little bit … not put as much pressure on me, I think that was a blessing in disguise. To be able to figure some things and help.”
Riley continued, pinpointing poor pitch selection as the reason he hit a wall. Too often Riley was overly aggressive, hacking at pitches nowhere near the zone.
“At that point I was getting myself out. I was chasing pitches I couldn’t do damage with. I think whenever I was going good, I was hunting my pitch. If it was something I couldn’t drive, I wasn’t swinging at it. That’s what I’ve gone back to now and hopefully it shows.”
The 22-year-old’s new slate started in right field Friday, only his third chance in right after handling the spot the past two games in Gwinnett. He doesn’t see a drastic difference between manning either corner, though he joked that he likes right being “not as far a run from the dugout.”
Already arguably the league’s most potent offense, Riley could just pile on the power. The team is stacked with much richer depth than it was before he was hurt. Still, with expanded rosters, Riley is another nice piece to add during the final stretch.
There’s also future evaluation, which isn’t at the forefront of the Braves’ present mindset but matters nonetheless. Josh Donaldson is approaching free agency and Riley, considered the third baseman of the future, has flashed some signs but has not given the team any reason to feel totally comfortable entering next season relying on him as the regular third baseman.
That’s not to say he could change that perception in 20 games time, but Riley’s total performance will factor into the team’s plans. Should it re-sign Donaldson, Riley will be competing for a starting spot in left field. This might be the last glimpse the Braves see of him before the offseason.
“The good thing is he’s healthy right now and mentally refreshed,” manager Brian Snitker said. “You hope he can bring some of what he brought the first time around. We’ll see. He’s been playing well, swinging well. Hope he can replicate what he did before.”
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