By: Bryce Mitchell
With the MLB regular season slowly inching toward the end, the race for MVP has become a popular debate for fans of the game. Ronald Acuña Jr. from the Atlanta Braves has been favored as the possible winner of the National League MVP award but another player has garnered attention for the MVP race.
Acuña’s teammate Matt Olson has been having a great campaign. His numbers are impressive and he could prove to be a challenging opponent for his Braves teammate.
Ronald Acuña Jr.
The Braves outfielder has had an impressive run all season. He has posted 55 stolen bases now and 26 home runs. For the 2023 season, he has an 11.7 walk percentage and a 12.4 strikeout percentage. In his first five seasons in the big leagues, he has a 25.3 strikeout percentage.
His 55th stolen base occurred on Sunday, August 13 against the New York Mets. As he slid into second base, he became the first player with a 55-stolen bases and 25-home run season in 30 years.
He is also only the eighth player in MLB history to post these stats. The last player to achieve this feat was Rickey Henderson in 1990 with the Oakland Athletics.
Acuña is now batting .337 with a .995 OPS this year. With the stats to back him up, Acuña remains the favorite for the MVP race.
Matt Olson
Despite being on the same team as a history-making Acuña, Matt Olson has his own stats and records to boast.
The first baseman took the MLB home run lead away from star two-way player Shohei Ohtani.
On Saturday afternoon against the New York Mets, Olson took the lead as the home run leader. In the top of the sixth, he slammed a three-run homer to center field and gave him the homer lead at 41. He pushed the lead again on Saturday hitting his 42nd and then hit a two-run homer on Sunday for his 43rd.
Not only is he the Majors’ leader in homers, but he also leads in RBIs at 107.
Olson has been incredibly hot recently and could rise in the MVP race ranks if he extends this hot streak. In his past 23 games, he has 13 home runs, 30 RBIs and a 1.332 OPS.
Although if the season ended right now, Acuña would be the best bet for the MVP award. But the race isn’t closed or wrapped up yet. With the home stretch of the season approaching, all eyes are on the Braves to see who stays hot until the very end.
