3 Braves players who must step up to avoid elimination

Austin Riley

Austin Riley has taken care of business on the defensive end so far in the NLDS but his offensive contributions have been lacking, to say the least.

The third baseman was in a bit of a slump at the end of the regular season and, unfortunately, that seems to have carried over into the playoffs. He’s 1-for-12 so far with four strikeouts and one walk.

Maybe it’s no coincidence that Riley’s one hit of the series, an RBI single in Game 2, also happened to come in the only Braves win in the series so far.

Like Contreras, Riley is part of the young core of this team. Unlike Contreras, he has quality playoff experience. He’s already proven he can be counted on in the postseason. It’s time for him to play like it.

Last year, Riley went .277/.309/.446 in the playoffs. This year he led Atlanta in WAR. He’s too important a player to be this much of a non-factor. It’s time to step up and make sure his team stays alive.