Atlanta Braves star third baseman Austin Riley has been one of the better players in the league this season. Now he's paid like it. On Monday, the Braves announced that they signed Riley to a massive, 10-year, $212 million contract extension. The team posted the news of the move on their Twitter account.
The Atlanta #Braves today signed 3B Austin Riley to a 10-year contract worth $212 million: pic.twitter.com/TdPVtpYnL5
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 1, 2022
Austin Riley's $212 million contract will run through the 2032 season, with the Braves star set to earn $15 million next season, $21 million in 2024 and $22 million in each of the remaining seasons of the contract. The deal has a $20 million club option for 2033.
Per the Braves, Riley will donate $2.12 million to the team's foundation. The 25-year-old slugger is hitting .301 with 29 home runs, 68 RBI, 61 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.
He made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, replacing St. Louis Cardinals veteran Nolan Arenado. Riley had broken out last year, clubbing 33 homers while posting a .898 OPS in 160 games played.
The Braves' mega contract for Riley comes after a month of July that saw him etch his name into the franchise record books alongside one of the very best to ever do it: Hank Aaron. Riley exceeded Aaron's franchise record by one with 26 extra-base hits in July.
Now, he'll be paid like the top-tier star he's been. Drafted 41st overall by the Braves back in 2015, Austin Riley was in the big leagues by 2019. He had his first major league dinger by his second plate appearance.
All that hard work is now paying off literally. Now, Austin Riley can focus on helping the Braves defend their World Series title.
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