Austin Riley Shares Optimistic Message Amid Braves' Early Struggles

Apr 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves third base Austin Riley (27) is congratulated by coaching staff after scoring against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dave Nelson-Imagn Images

Today, the Atlanta Braves enjoyed a much-needed off day before welcoming the Minnesota Twins to Truist Park for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:15 PM EDT. Sitting at 5-13 and sitting near the bottom of the league in team offense, the Braves know where they are, and more importantly, where they want to be. Austin Riley made that clear during his interview today with Cellini & Dimino on 680 The Fan.

The Braves third baseman brought a refreshing dose of honesty and optimism to the conversation, acknowledging the team’s early-season struggles but also reassuring fans that the work is being done behind the scenes.

“We know it, we’re obviously struggling and we’re pressing,” Riley said. “So, I think anytime you can kind of get the mental break, I think is good. When teams are hot, when you’re swinging it really well, you don’t want off days. But right now, I definitely think an off day is good.”

That break might be just what this team needs. Atlanta is hitting just .222 on the year and ranks near the bottom third of Major League Baseball in both OBP and slugging. In Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays, the Braves went 0-for-9 with seven strikeouts with runners in scoring position. So far this season, they’re hitting just .184 in those moments, with 45 strikeouts in 141 at-bats, and their .273 on-base percentage with runners in scoring position is second-worst in the league, ahead of only Colorado.

Despite those numbers, Riley remains confident in the group and emphasized that pressing and trying to force results may be part of the problem.

“I think if we can kind of just relax a little bit, I think it’ll come to us quicker than trying to go get it,” Riley explained. “It’s human nature, especially when you know how good you’re expected to be.”

The mental side of the game was a theme throughout the interview. Riley addressed the pressure players are feeling and spoke with clarity and accountability, something Braves fans and players can appreciate right now.

There’s been heat on Braves hitting coach Tim Hyers lately, but Riley stood by him, saying, “Tim has done an unbelievable job, not showing any panic.” He added that the focus now has to shift back to self-belief: “We just have to start trusting ourselves.”

It’s clear Riley isn’t ignoring the reality. He knows the expectations and embraces them. “Stick with us, we are a good team,” he said in a message to Braves fans. “I know it’s been rough. If anybody knows it, the players know it. We got all the pressure, we deserve it, we haven’t played well. But the effort is there, and we’ll figure it out.”

It’s early. Just 18 games into a 162-game grind. And while the frustration is understandable, the message from Riley today is exactly what Braves fans needed to hear. The season is far from over, and nobody inside that clubhouse is waving the white flag.

They’re working. They’re grinding. And as Riley hinted, sometimes letting the game come to you is better than trying to force your way out of a slump. If the Braves can relax and refocus, the turnaround might not be as far away as it seems. You can catch the whole 11 minute segment below.