ATLANTA (AP) — After returning from an oblique injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month, Braves catcher Drake Baldwin said he found himself desperate for a hit.
On Sunday, in the finale of the Braves' three-game home series against the Texas Rangers, Baldwin had no problems making contact. The catcher was a career-best 5 for 5 at the plate and homered twice in Atlanta's 8-5 win.
“Baldwin, he’s back. He’s back to form. I think it’s official now," Braves manager Walt Weiss said after the game. "He was on an MVP-type trajectory before he got hurt, and he’s looking like that again.”
In the Braves' first games back from the All-Star break, the club clinched its 21st series — tying its total from the 2025 season.
Baldwin spent his days off as the National League's starting catcher in his first All-Star game. Third baseman Austin Riley's break looked a little different, but it proved just as efficient in being the reset he needed to get back on track.
“I actually didn’t do anything over the break. Just more of a mental break. ... Went home, hung out with my family, chased my boys around," Riley said after his first two-homer outing since April 17. “After a couple of days off, coming back and just kind of a little recharged, it’s nice to see that we’re kind of firing on all cylinders with the offense there.”
On Sunday, Riley homered twice and had four RBIs, including a clutch two-run single in the seventh inning to put the Braves up 6-3. Weiss said it's hard not to root for a player, teammate and person like Riley.
“That’s a great sight to see Riley swinging the bat like that," Weiss said. "He’s been taking better swings lately, and he’s hit the ball really hard. ... He’s shown some really good signs, and that’ll be huge for us.”
After a difficult June, Weiss hopes a series victory against the AL West-leading Rangers is enough for his team to turn the page. The Braves have a three-game lead over second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.
“Our team had a rough June, but we've come out the other side still in first place, and we're playing better now," the first-year Braves manager said. “Those things are deposits in the bank as far as your mental toughness and being battle-tested — as long as you come out the other side, and I think we have.”
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