Walt Weiss faces many problems this spring when it comes to managing the Atlanta Braves' roster, but first base isn’t one of them. When he writes Matt Olson’s name near the top of lineup card, he knows he’s inserting superb defense at first and a 30-homer bat who is likely to play every single day.
In an era where days off are commonplace and everyone appears to be overly cautious, Olson is a throwback and one that could be a key advantage for the Braves in 2026 and beyond.
The best ability is availability, and no ne’s been more available than Matt Olson
Braves fans know, because announcers tell us every couple of games, that Olson is the active leader with 782 consecutive games played, putting him 12th on the all-time list. Players don’t make a list like that if they aren’t very good at what they do, so how good been?
Since 2021, he’s batted .263/.357/.512/.869 including:
- 185 homers - only Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso hit more.
- 184 doubles – Only Freddie Freeman and José Ramírez hit more.
- He’s the only player with 180+ homers and doubles.
What to Expect in 2026
Olson posted 17 DRS, 8 FRV, and 9 OAA on his way to winning his third Gold Glove in 2025, and there’s no reason to expect anything to change on that side of the ball this year.
Historically, Olson has a weird, odd and even year cycle to his hitting; he seems to put up a better line in odd years than in even years. I suspect that’s due to factors other than the last digit of the year, but it hasn’t significantly affected his home run or double numbers.
The Bat projection system takes that into account and offers the least optimistic of the available projections, suggesting a .245/.341/.451/.792 line with 30 homers and 30 doubles. As Chase wrote a few days ago, Austin Riley’s last two seasons saw his power diminish due, at least in part, to injuries. If pitchers don’t see Riley as a threat, Olson will get fewer good pitches to hit. All of that aside, I expect Olson to post another 30+ homer, 35-double season in 2026 with an OPS over .800.
That’s a Wrap
A healthy Braves’ lineup and rotation should bring a sharp rebound from last year’s disappointments. There are questions at other positions, but there are no questions about first base, where the Braves have Matt Olson, the best first baseman in the league.