Braves Austin Riley Reflects on Step Forward Since All-Star Break

Austin Riley delivered again in the Atlanta Braves' effort to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5, in extra innings to open their three-game series. He belted a solo home run to left-center field, making it a one-run game, 3-2, in the bottom of the seventh inning.

This helped set up the Braves to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and ultimately win it in the 10th inning.

It's not the first time lately he's delivered in the right spot. He had the go-ahead triple against the Phillies last weekend that secured the Braves a 5-4 win, and he had the go-ahead RBI single on Thursday to start a rally that ended with a Braves' 3-1 win.

With time, these moments are starting to pop up more frequently as his second half takes further shape.

"I think that the biggest thing that I've done is simplify some things, you know?" Riley said to Atlanta Braves on SI. "Trying to, I think, I think there for a minute, trying to fix too many things and trying to hit 100. That's hard to do those combinations of things."

Before games, he can be seen putting in that extra work into drive the hands through the ball. The work is being done with that emphasis both when he's taking swings in batting practice or evaluating things when others are taking their turn.

It's been part of that effort to shorten the swing and simplify.

"I think there was, like, my big move," Riley said of the process with his swing. "I naturally had it where it kind of wants to set behind me. So, I think, like I said, just trying to shorten that up a little bit with my hands. It's definitely helped."

This effort has translated to a .254 average and a .752 OPS in 51 games since the All-Star break. He's close to having as nearly as many home runs in the second half as he did in the first, and he's needed 44 fewer games.

His .471 slugging percentage so far in September would be the highest he's posted in month by a solid margin if he's able to maintain it. His best of a full month so far is the .440 slugging he posted in August.

Riley's push has been a process that dates back to the start of the season, but he stuck to the process, and it's paid off.

"He's definitely been putting a lot of work in," Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies said during Thursday's postgame. "I always thought - always down to keep trusting him, you know? You trust your work you put in. It's going to start coming your way, and we're never going to put our head down."

As the moments keep coming, it's only going to help the Braves more. The team has gone through its recent offensive skids. Anybody who can step up helps, and right now, Riley has been someone who has stepped up.

Most want to see the instant, explosive return to his All-Star form. For now, taking a step closer to that previous form, with more consistency, is a start. Maybe more comes in time. Maybe this is the somewhere in between that we'll see going forward.

If he stays healthy, then we'll finally know what time will tell. For sure, not overdoing it and keeping it simple helped something go right.

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