Matt Olson came into his first season with the Atlanta Braves with some massive shoes to fill. He was acquired to replace franchise star Freddie Freeman right after he helped lead the Braves to the World Series.
So far, Olson has been a fantastic addition to the Braves lineup. The 28-year-old has recorded 14 hits, 11 walks, and two home runs with an unreal slash line of .412/.556/.676 through 10 games. Not only is he leading the majors in walks and the National League in OBP, but he is also making Atlanta fans miss Freeman way less.
Olson's .556 on-base percentage is the highest of any Braves player since the team moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta, which occurred over 50 years ago.
From @EliasSports: Matt Olson, is 14-for-34 (.412) with 11 walks and a .556 on-base percentage in '22. That on-base percentage leads the NL this year and is the highest by any player over his first 10 career games with the Braves since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) April 17, 2022
The Braves have fielded several superstars over the years like the aforementioned Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Chipper Jones. Although these talents were homegrown, and thus setting this record would be extra difficult for a rookie, Atlanta has also added stars midway through their careers, such as 2018 free-agent signee Josh Donaldson as well as Fred McGriff, and Mark Teixeira, who they added via trade in 1993 and 2007 respectively. Olson's feat is nothing to sneeze at.
Although Freeman's teammates allegedly chafed him because of his strict demeanor in Atlanta, his impact on the organization was vast. He played at a very high level there and helped them win their first championship since 1995. With Matt Olson, a younger option that is arguably better, Atlanta has the skill to keep contending for titles. Acuña returning soon to the Braves lineup from his ACL tear will only help the team keep rolling.
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