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1 year ago
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The Atlanta Braves have been the National League’s most dominant team from the start of the 2023 MLB season, and they are continuing that hot streak well into the month of August. Few players in all of baseball have been hotter than their first baseman Matt Olson.
Matt Olson Now Leads The Major Leagues In Home Runs
MATT OLSON’S HOME RUN REIGN CONTINUES… HIS SECOND ON THE DAY AND 42ND OF THE SEASON! 😱pic.twitter.com/I7IYDou1su
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) August 12, 2023
There have been plenty of reasons and causes for their success. Outfielder Ronald Acuña has been so dominant that he is essentially a shoo-in for NL MVP. His odds to take home the award currently sit at -650, with Freddy Freeman being next on the list, all the way down at +400. The top-3 of their pitching rotation has been as good as any other team in baseball this year, and we they’ve gotten solid contributions from their lineup essentially all year.
But as great as Acuña and the rest have been, it has been Olson who has been making the most noise lately.
Olson arrived via trade before the 2022 season, brought it to replace Freddie Freeman at first base for Atlanta. He had big shoes to fill given that Freeman was an MVP, World Series Champion, and fan favorite. But Olson has performed well, especially over the last couple of months.
Braves, Olson Remain Hot In August
It’s raining dingers!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/l97MuuzBWL
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 12, 2023
As of about a month ago, Angels phenomenon Shohei Ohtani held a comfortable lead in the home run race, and was listed as a heavy -500 favorite to top the league when all was said and done. But Olson started to get hot towards the end of June, hitting 7 home runs in the final 7 games of the month, shortening the gap between him and Ohtani, albeit slightly.
July was an above average power month for Olson, but he has turned up the volume as the calendar has changed over to August. The slugger now has 42 home runs, having hit 6 already this month. The most recent long balls came in today’s Braves’ dominating win over the Mets, in which he hit a 3-run shot in the 6th inning, and hit a solo shot in the 8th.
Matt Olson is now the odds-on leader to lead the majors in home runs, sitting at -140.
