Chipper Jones has a diagnosis for what is ailing Austin Riley, and he shared it publicly after working with the struggling third baseman.
The Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer joined the Cellini & Dimino show on 680 The Fan and offered a technical breakdown of what he sees going wrong with Riley's swing. Jones, who serves as a special assistant with the organization, said the fixes needed are mechanical, not mental.
Manager Walt Weiss confirmed on July 1 that Jones and Riley had been having conversations and were spotted working together by the batting cage at Truist Park. Tuesday's radio appearance gave those sessions a public voice for the first time, as Jones laid out exactly what he has been addressing with the 29-year-old third baseman.
Jones told the show that Riley needs to shorten his stride, that his head is moving too much and that his balance is off. The comments, shared by 680 The Fan on social media, reflect the kind of specific mechanical feedback that only comes from someone who has put in hands-on work with the hitter.
Riley is batting .212 with nine home runs, 41 RBIs and a .631 OPS this season. It is the worst offensive stretch of his career and a significant drop from his best years, which included a 37-home run, 97-RBI campaign in 2023 that earned him a Silver Slugger.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Jones spent his entire 19-year career with the Braves and won the 1999 NL MVP. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. The eight-time All-Star brings credibility few can match when discussing hitting at the big-league level.
The Braves are 52-38, first in the National League East, and have 5 games remaining before the All-Star break. How quickly Riley can implement the adjustments Jones outlined could play a significant role in how Atlanta looks heading into the second half.
ALSO SEE:
- MLB Prop Bets Today: Best MLB Player Prop Predictions for Saturday, July 4
- MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets for Saturday, July 4
- NRFI and YRFI MLB Bets Today: Best First Inning Predictions for Saturday, July 4
