Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley expressed a lot in a few words upon coming at 2025 spring training.
Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves first baseman, did not make any big predictions about the team’s 2025 season. Austin Riley, a third baseman, stuck with that concept when he arrived at spring training.
Riley, however, managed to convey a lot in a few words.
“Just be healthy,” Riley told reporters. “If we can be healthy, I don’t think there’s any statements that need to be made.”
Translation, the Braves know they have a World Series caliber roster. They just have to be healthy to prove it again in 2025.
One of my high school English teachers had a saying — show me, don’t tell.
The strongest message one can form isn’t a Joe Namath-like championship guarantee. Everyone in the Braves organization knows that’s the goal, and they’ve been through the ringer enough that they know talking about winning in February doesn’t really mean a whole lot.
So, why not express a quiet confidence that you know that you’re good? Riley took it a step further, essentially saying the only thing that could prevent the Braves from contending in 2025 are injuries.
That’s pretty much what happened in 2024. Riley, Olson and other hitters did struggle early in the season. But the Braves also suffered injuries as early as the first week of April with catcher Sean Murphy and ace pitcher Spencer Strider hitting the injured list. Murphy returned but made little impact while Strider will still be on the IL to begin this season.
The injury bug affected Ronald Acuña, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley. Even so, the Braves reached their sixth consecutive postseason appearance.
Riley fractured his hand after being hit by a pitch on August 18 last season. He did not return for the rest of the year.
Riley’s OPS in 2024 was around 100 points lower than in 2023, and this had nothing to do with his injury. Riley didn’t struggle with a tiny sample size, either. He batted.256 with 19 home runs, 56 RBI, and 63 runs in 469 plate appearances.
Still, it’s quite evident Riley expects himself and his teammates to be better this season, as long as they’re healthy.
