The Atlanta Braves have locked up Austin Riley, their superstar third baseman, for the foreseeable future. This 10-year contract extension (worth 212 million dollars) will keepsthe 25-year-old All-Star in Atlanta for the prime years of his career. Riley is one of the best young players in the MLB, making him a staple for the Braves, along with Matt Olson and Ronald Acuna Jr.
Riley has had a tremendous season thus far, hitting for a batting average of .301 with 29 home runs. He also leads the National League in slugging percentage, with an astonishing .604. If Austin Riley can continue building on his potential, this contract will be a steal for the Atlanta Braves.
The Braves announced the contract extension via Twitter.
Fans of the Atlanta Braves absolutely love this move. The deal solidifies that a group of young star players will be together for a long time.
Many predicted the value of the contract would be much higher, given the length of the term. The shocking contract can only be seen as a great deal for the Braves.
It isn't often that a player earning 21 million dollars a year will be considered underpaid, but that could happen if Austin Riley lives up to expectations. Even fans of the rival New York Mets had to agree.
This deal also gives the Atlanta Braves a lot of financial flexibility, and will not prevent them from going after star free agents.
Deals that satisfy all parties are rarely agreed upon. In this case, the player, the team, and the fans all love this contract.
The deal is not the first of its kind for the Atlanta Braves, who are quickly becoming known for signing players to team-friendly contracts.
The Braves now have a nearly identical core of players to those that won the World Series championship in 2021 locked up long-term.
This contract could shift the landscape of the NL for a long time, as it likely means the Braves can still make key improvements via trade and free agency.
Barring a drastic move, Austin Riley will be a stalwart at third base for the Atlanta Braves for years to come.
Austin Riley and the Atlanta Braves will be a force in the National League for years to come
Winning one championship might not be enough for the Atlanta Braves. Now, with their extremely talented team, they will be contenders every year. If this team can stay healthy, they will even have a good shot at repeating themselves as champions in 2022.
Braves fans are thrilled that Austin Riley will be with the team for years, and their expectations are only getting higher.