With rain canceling the Braves-White Sox game and Austin Riley previously scheduled to bat fifth, Atlanta has moved him back to the No. 6 spot for Friday’s three-game series opener against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
When the Braves walk into Citi Field on Friday night to start a three-game series with the New York Mets, the lineup they’ve posted tells its own story: Austin Riley is back at No. 6.
Atlanta announced its starting lineup for the series opener, slotting Riley at third base and writing him into the middle of the order:
M. Dubón in left field, M. Harris II in center field, M. Olson at first base, O. Albies at second base, D. Smith as the designated hitter, A. Riley at third base, M. Yastrzemski in right field, H. Kim at shortstop, A. Wynns behind the plate, and S. Strider on the mound.
The change has a clear rhythm behind it. Riley was scheduled to bat fifth for Thursday’s game, but that matchup was postponed due to rain. He’s now moved from that fifth spot back to serving as the team’s No. 6 hitter.
This is the kind of small adjustment that looks minor on paper—until you remember what it’s happening alongside. Riley is batting .206 with 51 hits, eight home runs, 34 RBI, 31 runs, and four stolen bases in 68 games. His .637 OPS is the lowest of his career, and the slide has continued year after year. After reaching three straight seasons with an OPS of at least .850, he hasn’t surpassed that mark since 2023. His OPS has declined every year since 2021, when he hit .303.
The Braves arrive at Citi Field carrying both momentum and uncertainty. Atlanta most recently lost the first two games of its series with the Chicago White Sox. and the third game was postponed. Even with that interruption. the Braves remain atop the National League East with a 45-23 record and have gone 6-4 over their last 10 games. Spencer Strider—an All-Star right-hander—gets the start, set for his eighth start of the season. He enters Friday with a 4-1 record and a 4.00 ERA. and he has allowed three earned runs in each of his last four starts.
On the Mets side, New York has its own lineup ready for the opener. The Mets announced:
C. Benge in right field, B. Bichette at shortstop, J. Soto in left field, J. Young at first base, A. Ewing in center field, M. Semien at second base, B. Baty at third base, M. Melendez as the designated hitter, L. Torrens at catcher, and N. McLean as the starting pitcher.
The Mets’ season has been difficult by division standards, but they’re not going in cold. After avoiding the sweep against the Cardinals. the Mets improved to 30-38—still the worst record in the National League East. Nolan McLean makes his 14th start of the season. He enters Friday with a 3-4 record and a 3.93 ERA across 72.1 innings pitched. and he’s carried better form into this one. allowing only two runs over his last 11 innings across his two most recent outings.
For the Braves. the stakes are simple: keep pace at the top of the NL East while sorting through a lineup that keeps trying to find answers for Riley’s slump. For the Mets. the goal is equally direct—make the opener count. starting with how McLean holds up and whether New York can turn its recent respite into something sturdier.
Atlanta Braves New York Mets Austin Riley Citi Field Spencer Strider Nolan McLean MLB lineup National League East