Matt Olson is just two home runs away from making Braves history. The slugging first baseman hit his 50th home run on Monday night vs Philadelphia, needing just two more long balls to surpass Andruw Jones’ team record 51 hit back in 2005. Olson has 18 games remaining entering play on Tuesday to accomplish the feat.
Olson is not just a home run hitter; he is batting .279 on the season with 127 RBI as well as 26 doubles. His 1.000 OPS is one of the best in the league. For comparison, Andruw Jones had 128 RBI for the entire 2005 campaign. Despite a few slumps during the dog days of the season, Olson has been one of the best all-around hitters in the game.
Dukes & Bell know Olson’s steady approach and calm demeanor have been key to his success this year
“Only Andruw Jones has more home runs in a season than what Matt Olson has done. It’s 51 in ’05. Guys he’s going to break that. We’ve got two more weeks. He might have 10 more home runs when it’s all said and done,” Carl Dukes explained.
Olson can put some distance between himself and Jones if he continues his torrid pace in September. The goal, of course, is to add another World Series trophy to the collection for the Braves. The club consistently preaches team goals above individual accolades. Both can be achieved in 2023 as the team could sport a Cy Young Award winner, MVP and new team home run leader all wrapped up in one special season.