Riley Back in the Third Base Spot
Austin Riley is back in the lineup, and the Atlanta Braves are finally getting their power back where it belongs. He sat the entire 5-4 win on Thursday night (a game where Mauricio Dubón actually played third base), but for Friday’s tilt against the Washington Nationals, the rotation flips back instantly. Dubón slides right back to left field, while Riley gets his turn at the plate again because this team desperately needs his bat in the middle of the order.
Manager Walt Weiss was crystal clear about why he benched the star third baseman in the first place. He didn’t want to risk an injury or fatigue; he wanted to slow the game’s pace for a guy carrying the franchise. “the best way to slow the game down is to have [Riley] watch it from the bench,” Weiss stated in Thursday’s pregame press conference. Now that Riley has watched a full game from the dugout, the hope is that the rest did its job. The Nationals boast a strong young lineup, and the Braves simply can’t afford to leave their best hitter on the pine.
Lineup Shuffle Changes the Order
The batting order takes a massive shift because Foster Griffin is pitching tonight for Washington. He’s a left-hander, which means Ronald Acuña Jr. leads off immediately, while Drake Baldwin starts at the top against right-handers. Joey Bart starts behind the plate and bats eighth, a spot that highlights how the strategy relies entirely on matchups. The Braves know exactly how to use their roster to gain an edge, and Baldwin has been the designated hitter against lefties lately anyway. Why mess with a formula that works?
Washington isn’t sleeping on this game either, making their own aggressive changes to the lineup. To lead off, James Wood shifts to the designated hitter position while Luis Garcia starts at first base and Dylan Crews plays right field. Brady House starts at third base (he came in as a pinch-hitter during Thursday’s game), and Daylen Lile moves down to sixth in the order. Harry Ford starts at catcher instead of Keibert Ruiz, Jose Tena gets the start at second base, and Jacob Young gets the nod in center field. The game starts at 7:15 p.m. ET, and you better believe both sides are ready.
Can the Braves Win the Division?
Every single game matters right now because the Braves have a narrow window to win it all. Austin Riley is a cornerstone for this team, and his return adds immediate stability to the infield that the 2021 championship run proved this group relies on. They need to stay healthy and keep winning because the Nationals are young but dangerous, packing speed and power in their lineup that the Braves must match. Riley’s presence changes the dynamic of the game, plain and simple.
Trade speculation is high as the deadline nears and the team might need more help, but first, they must win tonight. The lineup looks solid on paper with Acuña and Riley at the top forming a scary combination that opponents dread. The bullpen needs to hold the lead if the offense struggles, and the fans want to see the team fight. This is the time to step up, the season is far from over, and one game can change the momentum entirely. The Braves have the talent, and now they need the execution to back it up.
