Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley started the season in a bit of a rut. While he's always had the talent, unforeseen challenges hit his confidence. But as they say, it's not how you start but how you finish. And boy, did he have quite an ending for the Braves this year.
Riley was instrumental in the Braves' 4-2 series victory over the Houston Astros on a memorable Tuesday night to capture their first World Series title since 1995.
Riley's struggles last season only made the win sweeter. He accepted the fact that there are no off days in the MLB, continuing to correct his mistakes since joining the Braves in 2019. He shared his mindset that appears to have been his mantra all season (via ESPN).
“If you don't continue to produce, you're going to find yourself out of the game. The biggest thing is just coming in every day and working.”
The 24-year-old Memphis native must've repeated this daily, helping him become one of the Braves' bona fide stars. He led the team in home runs and RBIs with 33 and 107, respectively.
Braves manager Brian Snitker, who aided Riley's emergence, couldn't help but sing praises.
“That's a really good thing organizationally when you see guys mature and they can slow the game down and do what they do, whether it's a defensive play, a rundown or a big hit. Our young guys are maturing right in front of us.”
Don't be surprised if Riley gets named NL MVP in the coming days.
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