Austin Riley gave Braves fans another reason to believe his bat may finally be heating up during Sunday’s series finale against the Texas Rangers at Truist Park.
Atlanta entered the game looking to bounce back after a narrow 7-6 loss on Saturday, though the club had opened the series with a dominant 15-1 victory on Friday. Riley wasted little time making an impact, launching a home run in his first at-bat against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi. The Braves celebrated the blast on Instagram with a simple message: “Austin with the power.”
The day got even better for the two-time All-Star. Riley connected for another home run in his second plate appearance, giving him his second multi-homer game of the season and his first since April 17.
One reporter noted the significance of the performance, writing, “Austin Riley has homered in both of his first two plate appearances against Nathan Eovaldi. This is his second multihomer game of the year, first since April 17. Is it still bold to predict he’ll hit 25-plus? He’s at 12 now.”
A Much-Needed Breakout
The outburst came at an important time for Riley, whose 2026 campaign has been marked by inconsistency. Entering Sunday’s game, he was batting .211 with 74 hits, 10 home runs, 43 RBIs, 41 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 97 games. While those numbers remain well below the standard he has established over the past several seasons, consecutive productive performances have offered signs that he could be turning a corner.
Riley has now homered in two of the Braves’ last three games, providing encouragement that he may be finding his timing at the plate during the second half of the season.
Braves Fans See Signs of a Turnaround
Fans and analysts quickly reacted on social media following Riley’s latest display of power.
“He’s gonna be a Top 5 3B again shortly,” wrote @bravesworldwide.
“BASEBALL IS BETTER WHEN AUSTIN IS HITTING SWAMP DONKEYS!!!” added @ajeffthebest11.
@brockbearden_ looked at the bigger picture, posting, “If we get Riley and Acuña going in the second half, the league is in TROUBLE.”
“If he gets going…watch out,” wrote @eddie_j1022.
Braves reporter Harrison Smajovits pointed to Riley’s recent production, writing, “Going back to July 10, Austin Riley is 6-for-18 (.333) with two walks. Promising six-game stretch, but as usual, the question is if he can sustain it.”
MLB.com reporter Mark Bowman also remained optimistic, posting, “Austin Riley homers for the second time in three days to increase his season total to 11. Bold prediction: He will hit 25-plus homers this year.”
Meanwhile, @scottcoleman55 highlighted how long it had been since Riley drove a ball with that kind of authority, writing, “Oh my It has been a long time since Austin Riley hit a baseball up there against a real pitcher.”
Major League Baseball’s official account praised the blast as well, posting, “Austin Riley clobbers a breaking ball to second deck.”
Braves Continue Leading the Division
Atlanta entered the day atop the National League East with a 56-41 record through 97 games. If Riley’s recent surge continues, it would provide another boost for a Braves lineup that already sits in first place and is looking to build momentum as the season moves deeper into the second half.
