3B Austin Riley Gets Honest on Braves' 7-Game Skid

A lot of the baseball world is shocked over what has happened to the Atlanta Braves during the first half of the 2025 MLB season. Fans can count third baseman Austin Riley among them.

Riley suggested to reporters after the team's 4-3 loss on Sunday, which completed a series sweep at the San Francisco Giants, that the recent Braves' struggles have him partially speechless.

"I'm a little lost for words, explanations on what it is to get us going right now," said Riley, via The Athletic's David O'Brien. "It's a lot of disappointment and some self-reflection. You know, just trying to evaluate ourselves and what we can do to be better.

"A lot of the guys that are in here have been a part of that (postseason streak) and know how to win. And it's just not happening right now."

The Braves have found all kinds of different ways to lose during the team's seven-game skid. Most nights, the offense isn't producing. Atlanta's power numbers are down from a year ago, and the lineup isn't clutch. The Braves were 3-for-22 with runners in scoring position against the Giants.

But on days the offense has done enough, the bullpen has faltered. Atlanta blew a six-run lead in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday to lose 11-10.

On Saturday, the Braves only had two runs but held a one-run lead in the ninth. Relief pitcher Pierce Johnson gave up a walk-off homer in the ninth.

On Sunday, the Braves were tied with the Giants when second baseman Ozzie Albies made an error, which allowed the go-ahead run to score in the fourth. Atlanta didn't answer with another run in the final five innings and lost 4-3.

There's been a little bad luck too. The Braves felt victimized by home plate umpire Gabe Morales' strike zone Saturday. Manager Brian Snitker argued balls and strikes with Morales and was ejected.

In the ninth inning Sunday, outfielder Alex Verdugo was called out on strikes with a questionable call.

As I've written a few times with the Braves this season, when it rains, it pours. Nothing is going right for them, so much so that Riley had a hard time trying to describe how he feels about the team's recent skid.