The Atlanta Braves are off to a strong start this MLB season, winning three of their last four games. They have shown dominance and are positioning themselves as the top seed in the National League East with a 22-10 record.
However, not every player on the roster is living up to expectations. Third baseman Austin Riley has gotten off to a rough start this season. The 29-year-old has posted below-average numbers with a .190 batting average, .274 on-base percentage, and .588 OPS across his first 32 appearances.
In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Riley acknowledged his disappointing start to the year. He said, "It's frustrating as [expletive] right now, I can tell you that. I don't know if I've been this bad in a long time."
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Riley will look to turn it around on Friday during Atlanta's series opener. However, before first pitch, he took to Instagram to make a special announcement.
Riley has continued to expand his presence off the field through his partnership with Unie Worldwide, a company specializing in custom apparel, uniforms and branded merchandise.
Unie Worldwide posted an Instagram collaboration with Riley, marking another step in a relationship that has developed over time. The post revealed a new clothing line tied to Realtree Outdoors, a brand Riley has worked with before.
It also included a video of Riley in the new attire, designed by him. "Austin Riley x @unieinc @realtreeoutdoors — a behind the scenes look into creating this performance driven design. DROPPING SOON…," the caption read.
This comes as positive news for Riley, who is gaining increased exposure through the clothing brand deal and appears poised for more releases in the future.
Drafted by the Braves in the first round of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft, Riley has spent his entire eight-year career with the organization and is looking to bounce back in May, as it is still early in the season.
