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.