Braves Briefing: Is Austin Riley returning to form?

It would be huge for the Atlanta Braves if Austin Riley returned to that top-10 MVP form that we've seen in recent seasons.

In a thrilling showdown at Truist Park, Austin Riley showcased his immense talent and single-handedly propelled the Atlanta Braves to an impressive 8-5 win over the NL East Rival Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night. 

Riley's hot streak over the past few days culminated as he launched two crucial home runs to steal the spotlight. With this victory, Atlanta celebrates their second consecutive win and witnesses Riley's resurgence to the form that earned him top 10 National League MVP Award finishes in the previous two seasons.

After an outstanding start to the season, where he maintained an impressive .948 OPS over his first 17 games, Riley encountered a month-long slump that significantly impacted his offensive production, with his OPS dropping to .548 over the subsequent 22 games. However, Riley has demonstrated exceptional resilience, leaving his struggles firmly in the past. Over the last 11 games, he has been a force to be reckoned with, batting an exceptional .349 with an impressive 1.047 OPS. Riley's resurgence bodes well for the Braves, as his consistent performance adds a potent offensive threat to their lineup.

NL East Standings

Team	Record	GB	Action Today
Atlanta	31-19	-	Hosts Philadelphia
NYM	26-25	5.5	@ Colorado
Miami	25-26	6.5	@ LAA
Philadelphia	23-27	8.0	@ Atlanta
Washington	21-29	10.0	@ Kansas City

We wrote it

Braves Today's Dan Strickland tackled our takeaways Thursday night and point out starting pitcher Dylan Dodd's performance.

We’ve talked a lot lately about the need for quality starting pitching for the Braves. Dylan Dodd was not dominant tonight, but he did cover five innings, allowing four runs, all earned, while giving up seven hits. He walked one and struck out three.
If Dodd can build off this start and continue to fill innings every fifth day, he has an opportunity to stick around until some of the front-line starters return to the team.
The bullpen covered the game's final four innings, allowing one run.

Read the full list of takeaways here.

Watch Atlanta Braves vs Philadelphia highlights

How to watch the Atlanta Braves

Game two of the series is on Friday night, with a 7:20 PM ET first pitch. The game broadcast, with Voice of the Braves Brandon Gaudin, is available inside Braves Country on Bally Sports Southeast, and is available on MLB.TV outside of the broadcast area. The radio call, with Ben Ingram, is available locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan or outside the Atlanta market on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network or MLB.com.

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