Entering last night’s game, Austin Riley was hitting below the Mendoza Line, and frankly, it’s been a rough few years for the highest-paid player in franchise history, who has dealt with a myriad of injuries and inconsistencies since receiving that $212 million contract.

With that kind of title in an organization with as rich a history as the Braves, there are expectations — ones Riley would be the first to admit he hasn’t met.

“It’s frustrating as hell right now, I can tell you that. I don’t know if I’ve been this bad in a long time,” Riley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this week. “Nobody wants it more than me. Just got to keep grinding on it.”

“I think at this point, I just got to be mentally strong. You can look at video and look at all different kind of things, and yeah, there may be some mechanical stuff, but I think the main thing is being mentally strong up there and not giving in,” Riley continued. “I think you saw a little bit of that pressing and obviously wanting to drive guys in and wanting to do too much and wanting to help the team out. I mean, ultimately, that’s what I want. I want nothing more than to help this team win.”

Maybe Friday’s game can serve as a turning point. The lumbering third baseman collected two hits and delivered a critical sacrifice fly that tied the game in the eighth inning — a moment that helped spark yet another come-from-behind Braves win.

And while the noise from the outside has grown louder, that same sentiment hasn’t made its way inside the clubhouse. Riley’s teammates know exactly how talented he is, and just as importantly, they’ve never questioned his work ethic. The desire is there, and when that’s the case, figuring it out tends to be a matter of when — not if.

Nobody made that clearer than Mauricio Dubón after the game.

Mauricio Dubón scored on Austin Riley's sac fly that tied the game 6-6 in the 8th. Said Dubón: "People bashing Austin, but f*cking had a great f*cking at-bat right there. He's been grinding out here, coming in working every day. Pretty awesome watching him have a game like this."

— Chad Bishop (@MrChadBishop) May 2, 2026

While Austin Riley’s slow start might feel extreme, it’s not exactly out of character. There’s a reason the phrase exists: when the weather heats up, so does Austin Riley.

His career splits tell the story pretty clearly.

Austin Riley OPS by month

• April: .754
• May: .837
• June: .772
• July: .927
• August: .859
• September/October: .768

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April has consistently been his worst month, and beyond that, he’s always been an incredibly streaky hitter. These types of lulls have shown up throughout his career.

But when he gets going, it looks different. The power comes in bunches, the confidence follows, and suddenly he’s the most dangerous bat in one of the most potent lineups in the league.

Fans have every right to be frustrated — Austin Riley is making too much money not to produce at a higher level more consistently — but betting against him figuring it out probably isn’t the wisest decision.

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)