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Nearly two weeks after appearing in his first All-Star Game, Braves third baseman Austin Riley has agreed to terms on the most lucrative deal in franchise history.
Atlanta broke the news Monday afternoon in a press release announcing Riley, 25, has signed a 10-year, $212 million contract extension, which will keep him with the club through the 2032 season. The deal will net Riley a $15 million salary in ’23 followed by $21 million in ’24, and $22 million over the remainder of the contract, and also includes a $20 million club option for the ’33 season.
Riley, who is in the midst of a career year, will donate $2.12 million of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation, per the team.
After earning All-MLB honors in 2021 and helping Atlanta capture its fourth World Series, Riley has continued that momentum in ’22, turning in another standout campaign in just his fourth season. After initially being snubbed from the All-Star Game earlier last month, the 6-foot-3 slugger earned his first career nod after replacing Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
In 101 games played, Riley, an NL MVP candidate for a second straight year, is slashing .301 with 68 RBI and 29 home runs, the fourth-most in MLB. He also ranks sixth in the league with an OPS of .964.
Riley, who also earned his first career Silver Slugger Award last season, is coming off a scorching hot July during which he set a rather notable franchise record. His 26 extra-base hits in Atlanta’s 26 contests moved him past Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (25) for the most extra-base hits by a Braves player in a month; Riley currently leads the majors with 61 extra-base hits.
Riley passed Aaron in impressive fashion Sunday night with a walk-off double to secure a 1–0 win over the Diamondbacks. The Braves (62–41) currently sit three games behind the Mets (64–37) as they look to claim a fifth consecutive NL East title.
The 41st overall selection in the 2015 draft out of DeSoto Central High School in Southaven, Miss., Riley made an instant impact in his MLB debut in 2019, homering in just his second career plate appearance. He went on to become the quickest Braves player in the modern era to log double-digit home runs after hitting his 10th in his 26th game. In 392 career games, Riley is batting .280 with 88 HRs and a .865 OPS.
