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Austin Riley contract: Braves sign star third baseman to monster extension

By Noah Yingling

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 31: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after being doused following his walk off double during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park on July 31, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 31: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after being doused following his walk off double during the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park on July 31, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves have announced that they have extended their All-Star third baseman Austin Riley to a mammoth contract.

The Atlanta Braves have announced that they have extended their All-Star third baseman Austin Riley to a mammoth contract extension.

The extension will be for 10 years and $212 million, for an average annual value (AAV) of $21.2 million. That will matter for luxury tax purposes but the contract breakdown is a bit different.

Braves have extended Austin Riley for 10 more years

The Braves have extended All-Star third baseman Austin Riley through the 2032 season with a massive contract extension.

Riley will make $15 million in 2023, $21 million in 2024, and $22 million for the remainder of the contract (through 2032). In addition, the club will have a $20 million club option for 2033. That contract would make Riley a contract for nearly all of his career as he is 25 years old currently. If the team option is exercised, that would make Riley 36 years old at the end of the deal.

On the season, Riley has played in 101 games and here are his stats and how they rank in the National League.

  • .301 batting average (7th)
  • .604 slugging percentage (1st)
  • .964 OPS (2nd)
  • 239 total bases (1st)
  • 31 doubles (2nd)
  • 29 home runs (2nd)
  • 68 RBI (6th)
  • 4.7 rWAR (5th)

He’s well on his way to getting MVP votes, as he did last season. Last season, Riley wasn’t an All-Star but came in seventh in NL MVP voting and won a Silver Slugger Award.

For the Braves, it is an excellent deal. If Riley plays as he has this season and last season (and he probably will), it’s actually a bargain of a deal for them. They will have him, first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, and outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. together through at least the 2025 season. If the club exercises their team options, those core four will be together through at least 2027 on their current contract.

For Riley, sure, it could be a bargain but as numerous players have seen throughout the history of baseball, you can never take anything for granted. He could be the best player in baseball and then an injury hits and you’re not.

$212 million changes Riley’s life and it changes his family’s life so it is a good deal all around for both sides.

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