There is a statistical argument that Austin Riley is the difference maker for the Atlanta Braves offense.
What would happen if Chad Sobotka faced Austin Riley? Stale mate?
— Añdy Buñker (@TBM929) July 30, 2019
Despite being in his current slump, if you look at 40-plus game stretch where he batted around .280 and hit the majority of his home runs, the Braves are a team that are 17 games over .500. In the time before he was called up, they were a .500 team. And in the last 21 games that Riley's been batting .150, the Braves are one game under .500 (10-11).
"To me, the biggest factor in the offense right now, is that Austin Riley is getting out 80 percent of the time," Andy Bunker said. "You can't have that when you're a National League team and you also have pitchers that are coming up that are getting out 80 percent of the time as well."
"That's a huge part of your lineup that has a hole in it."
Riley has 16 home runs this season, and no double-digit home run games. The Braves are 11-5 in games he's hit a home run.
"To me his issue is sliders and fastballs," Andy continued. He's not sure that sending him down to the minors necessarily fixes that.
