According to Baseball Reference, Riley ranks eighth in baseball with 4.7 wins above replacement (WAR). Among the players ahead of him: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Nolan Arenado. Yes, that’s how well Riley has played this year.
Riley, 25, is hitting .301 with a .964 OPS in 101 games this season. He has 29 home runs and 68 RBI. Riley, named to his first All-Star team this year, leads the majors with 61 extra-base hits. He ranks fourth in home runs and sixth in OPS.
And with his performance in July, he thrust himself into the National League MVP conversation. In 26 games in July, Riley hit .423 with a 1.344 OPS. He collected 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 25 RBI.
His 26 extra-base hits in the month are the most by a Braves player in a calendar month, breaking a record set by Hall of Famer Hank Aaron in 1961. His batting average and home run totals in but they placed him with the Hall of Fame. Chipper Jones as the only Braves player to hit .400 with double-digit home runs in a month.
Since the Braves selected Riley with the No. 41 overall pick in 2015 out of DeSoto Central High School in Southhaven, Mississippi, he has developed into one of the best hitters in the sport. Last season, Riley finished seventh in NL MVP voting after hitting .303 with 33 homers and 107 RBI. He also won his first Silver Slugger Award and was named to the All-MLB First Team. In the playoffs, he hit two home runs and a single in the NLCS opener against the Dodgers.
Riley, who debuted in 2019, was an arbitration-eligible player who would become a free agent after the 2025 season. But he has placed himself among the best third basemen in baseball. Now he will be paid as such, as his contract approves Matt Olson’s eight-year, $168 deal for the richest in Braves history.
In terms of the average annual value of his contract, Riley’s deal will rank fourth for third basemen. Anthon Rendon’s seven-year, $245 million deal leads the pack, followed by Nolan Arenado’s eight-year, $260 million deal and Manny Machado’s 10-year, $300 million contract.
The situation for the Braves couldn’t be much better. They have Riley through at least the 2032 season, while Ronald Acuña is signed through the 2026 season, but his contract includes club options for 2027 and 2028. Matt Olson’s contract runs through 2029 and includes a club option for 2030. Ozzie Albies deal has club options. for 2026 and 2027. They are three members of the starting infield and one of the starting outfield, under control for a long time.
The Braves have a history of infielders beloved by fans. From Hank Aaron to Chipper Jones, they’ve had their fair share of franchise cornerstones. During his extension, Riley could become another one of them.
MORE TO COME
