By: Jacob Cullum
The Atlanta Braves may have lost against Miami 11-5 on September 16th , but
Matt Olson’s franchise record-breaking 52nd homerun proved to be a silver lining. Olson, who replaced long-time 1B Freddie Freeman when he left for the Dodgers, has been a mainstay in Atlanta’s lineup in the past two years. Known for his slugging and power in Oakland, it is no surprise that Olson continues to rack up homeruns on a consistent basis.
His league-leading and record breaking 52nd homerun solidifies Matt Olson’s 2023 season as one of Atlanta’s best. The previous record was set by slugging outfielder Andruw Jones (51) in 2005. Alongside his accolade, Olson also leads the MLB in both homeruns (52) and RBI (129). It is also worth mentioning that the lefty 1B is also having his best year statistically regarding his AVG. (.278), OBP (.385), and walks drawn (96).
With numbers as extravagant as these, one would think that an NL MVP would be a lock. In fact, in a plethora of previous seasons, these numbers would be plenty to achieve a MVP trophy. But, what if another member of your team is having an even more historic season? This is the dream Atlanta has been able to make a reality with teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. having a monster year alongside Olson. Acuña, who became the first player in MLB history to record 30 homeruns and 60 stolen bases in a season, is giving Olson a run for the NL MVP trophy. How often do players have generational seasons in the same lineup? It is not common; that is for sure. Atlanta’s pitching has been remarkable as well, which has Atlanta sitting atop the league with a record of 96-53 coming into postseason play.
Matt Olson is doing what many thought impossible: Ably filling Freddie Freeman's shoes.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) September 16, 2023
It took 18 years for a Brave to hit as many homers as Andruw Jones in 2005. It took 4 more days for Olson to bump Jones off the top rung on the #Braves' homer ladder.https://t.co/0ZecQ2Dfvo
The Atlanta Braves look to finish their regular season play on a positive note before heading into the postseason in October. With only a few series left in the regular season, the Braves host the Phillies in a 3-game series before heading to Washington for a 4-game series.
