Braves Announce Austin Riley Decision Before Mets Series

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JUNE 5: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after an RBI double during the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on June 5, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

On Friday night, the Atlanta Braves will begin a three-game series with the New York Mets at Citi Field.

Most recently, the Atlanta Braves had their game with the Chicago White Sox postponed due to rain.

Third baseman Austin Riley was scheduled to bat fifth in the team’s lineup.

Atlanta Braves Announce Austin Riley Decision

Ahead of the team’s series opener with the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves have announced their starting lineup.

Underdog MLB posted on X: “Braves 6/12 M. Dubón LF M. Harris II CF M. Olson 1B O. Albies 2B D. Smith DH A. Riley 3B M. Yastrzemski RF H. Kim SS A. Wynns C S. Strider SP”

Despite being moved up to fifth for Thursday’s game, which did not end up being played, Austin Riley is back to serving as the team’s No. 6 hitter. 

On the season, the third baseman is currently batting .206 with 51 hits, eight home runs, 34 RBI’s, 31 runs and four stolen bases in 68 games.

Austin Riley’s .637 OPS is the lowest of his career, and it has continued a worrying trend for the third baseman. Since three straight seasons with an OPS of at least .850, Riley has not surpassed that mark since 2023. Additionally, his OPS has declined every year since 2021, when he had a .303 batting average. 

Braves Right Now

The Braves most recently lost the first two games of the series with the White Sox, before the third game was postponed. Despite this, they remain at the top of the National League East with a 45-23 record. They have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games.

All-Star right-hander Spencer Strider will make his eighth start of the season. He enters Friday’s match with a 4-1 record and a 4.00 ERA. Strider has allowed three earned runs in each of his last four starts.

Mets Right Now

Meanwhile, the New York Mets have also announced their starting lineup for the series opener.

Underdog MLB posted on X: “Mets 6/12 C. Benge RF B. Bichette SS J. Soto LF J. Young 1B A. Ewing CF M. Semien 2B B. Baty 3B M. Melendez DH L. Torrens C N. McLean SP”

After avoiding the sweep against the Cardinals, the New York Mets improved to 30-38, which is the worst in the National League East.

Right-hander Nolan McClean will make his 14th start of the season for the Mets. He enters Friday’s game with a 3-4 record and a 3.93 ERA across 72.1 innings pitched. McClean has pitched well in his last two games, allowing only two runs over 11 innings.

Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer