In the 2021-22 offseason, the Atlanta Braves basically chose Matt Olson to be their first baseman of the future instead of franchise icon Freddie Freeman.
Freeman was fresh off winning the 2021 World Series and the 2020 NL MVP, so he was still very much a star even if he was older than Olson at the time of the events.
Still, Atlanta gave up prospects to the Oakland Athletics to acquire Olson and then extended him on a mammoth eight-year, $168 million deal.
They are now committed to him for a very long time.
People might believe that it was personal, but the truth is Olson is very good on his own right.
He might be a tier below Freeman as a hitter, but he is a great fielder, a local Atlanta guy, and significantly younger.
There were merits for him to take over.
He did and delivered a 34-homer, .802 OPS season in 2022.
He apparently wants more in 2023, though.
Look at the kind of spring he is having.
Matt Olson this spring:
12 G, 14-for-32 (.438), 2 2B, 6 HR, 3 BB, 13 RBI, 9 R, 1.549 OPS pic.twitter.com/RxyqyJECyp
—Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 20, 2023
Six homers and a 1.549 OPS is a video-game-like performance for the first baseman.
He is absolutely locked in the spring, and while March numbers in exhibition games have to be taken with a grain of salt, we have seen many players extend their hot streaks well into April and May.
Olson probably won’t hit .300 anytime soon, but he can mash with the best of them, perhaps approaching 40 homers.
He can also get on base at a high clip, and play good defense.
He is now an integral part of the Braves’ lineup and one of the reasons the team is expected to contend for the World Series.
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