Despite holding down the first base role for the Atlanta Braves for four seasons and performing at a consistently high level, Matt Olson still hasn’t won over all of Braves Country.
Some fans have yet to fully embrace him possibly because he isn’t Freddie Freeman or due to his streaky hitting patterns. But given Olson’s track record as a top-five MLB first baseman since 2019, the lingering skepticism feels misplaced.
Following a sluggish start to 2025, some Braves faithful continued pining for Freeman. However, over the past month and a half, the 31-year-old Olson has quietly been putting together an elite stretch on both offense and defense that should hush the critics.
Matt Olson Making His Case as MLB’s Top First Baseman
Heading into Friday, Olson ranked second among all first basemen in fWAR trailing only the Mets’ Pete Alonso by 0.1 and leads all first basemen in bWAR. Statistically, Olson has been nothing short of outstanding this season.
At the plate, he’s provided much-needed offense for a Braves team struggling to produce runs. Olson has posted a .256/.361/.489 slash line with 15 home runs, good for a 136 wRC+. That makes him the 25th-most productive qualified hitter in MLB.
Interestingly, this stat line is better than where he stood on June 20 last season when he went on to finish fourth in MVP voting. Advanced metrics like xBA and xSLG suggest he’s also been unlucky at the plate, which means he could be primed for a big second half similar to 2023.
Since May 16, Olson has caught fire offensively, ranking as the sixth-best hitter in baseball by wRC+ over that span. In that time, he’s slashed .315/.395/.640 with eight home runs.
Elite with the Glove, Too
Olson hasn’t just excelled with the bat he’s also been a standout defender. By Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), Olson ranks second among all MLB players with 13, regardless of position. In Outs Above Average (OAA), he sits 10th overall with 7 no other first baseman comes close.
His defensive value is so strong that, according to FanGraphs’ DEF metric which includes a harsh positional penalty for first base Olson still earns a positive rating. That’s a rare feat; since the Statcast era began in 2015, only three other qualified first basemen (Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, and Evan White) have managed it.
Bottom line: Matt Olson is delivering elite production on both sides of the ball. For those Braves fans still holding out, the numbers make it clear it’s time to give Olson his due.
