From 2021-2023 Austin Riley was a force in the middle of the Atlanta Braves' lineup. In each of those seasons Riley finished in the top-seven of NL MVP voting, and established himself as a cornerstone piece for the franchise. In the middle of that great run, Riley was rewarded with the biggest contract in Braves' history.
Unfortunately, the last two seasons have not gone as smoothly for Riley. In both 2024 and 2025, Riley battled multiple injuries, and a bit of underperformance. Last season, the Braves had the ultimate down year, and Riley's 1.7 fWAR in 102 games was one of many contributors to Atlanta's disappointing 2025. The upcoming season is very important for Austin Riley, and if his struggles continue his record-setting contract could get ugly in a hurry.
Austin Riley adds on for the @Braves 💪 pic.twitter.com/Jjy3NtujVT
— MLB (@MLB) July 29, 2025
Why Austin Riley is the most important player for the Braves in 2026
Alex Anthopoulos is no stranger to contract extensions, and when the Braves began their run in 2018 plenty of core players received big paydays. Matt Olson, Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and many more were among those extended. However, no player received a longer extension than Austin Riley. The Braves' slugger signed a ten-year $212 million contract in 2022, meaning Riley is under the guaranteed portion of his contract until 2033. No other Brave is under contract beyond that season.
Riley is set to make $22 million in every season until his $20 million club option in 2033. This is why it is imperative Riley returns to the slugging All-Star level third baseman the Braves paid him to be. Both Atlanta and Riley have nowhere to hide with this contract, and the 2026 Braves offense remains limited if Riley cannot get back to his 2021-2023 version.
Riley’s slugging percentage has declined in each season since 2021. Even during the Braves’ historic 2023 season, Riley still posted a star-level .516 slugging percentage. However, that number dipped to .461 in 2024 and then fell further to a very mediocre .428 last season. Over the course of his career, Riley has made massive strides defensively. However, the Braves did not hand out this contract for his defense to carry his value. Austin Riley’s value mostly relies on his ability to stack extra-base hits.
The good news is that Riley still hits the baseball extremely hard. Despite his underperformance in 2025, he ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity. For Riley, it is a matter of making more consistent contact. He carried a 29.5 percent whiff rate last season, and his cold streaks often felt like they lasted for weeks. Getting a more consistent Riley is paramount to the Braves’ success in 2026, and if fans see that improvement, the many years and dollars remaining on his contract become far less worrisome.