Is it Time to Panic About Austin Riley?

The episode of Locked On Braves examines the growing concern over Austin Riley's slow start to the 2026 season, analyzing his poor offensive numbers—six hits in 37 at-bats, a .162 average, and a .189 slugging percentage—while contextualizing it within his recent decline over the past two years. Host Jake Mastriani acknowledges the alarm among fans but argues that the issue is likely mechanical rather than mental or motivational, pointing to a drop in exit velocity, launch angle, and hard-hit rate, as well as a persistent struggle with sliders and sweepers. Despite Riley’s high walk rate and strikeout rate in line with his career norms, the lack of quality contact and timing issues are the core concerns. The host remains cautiously optimistic, noting that mechanical adjustments are fixable and that Riley’s defense has remained strong. The episode also recaps a rough loss to the Angels, highlighting Chris Sale’s poor outing and a lackluster offensive performance, while previewing Tuesday’s game against the Angels with Renato Lopez expected to step up as the team’s stopper. The Braves’ offense, which has scored two runs or fewer in three of its last four games, needs to regain consistency to avoid a deeper slump.