Matt Olson has been regarded as one of the top first basemen in Major League Baseball since making his debut in 2017. In his first six complete seasons, Olson has recorded a wRC+ of over 130 in three different seasons. His most recent season saw him record a wRC+ of 160 and place fourth in the National League MVP voting. Since joining the Atlanta Braves following Freddie Freeman’s departure, Olson has been a vital member of the lineup, but he has battled to get off to a slow start in 2024, managing just a 99 wRC+ across 398 plate appearances in the first half of the season. This piece will investigate the reasons behind Matt Olson’s difficult 2024 campaign debut.
Matt Olson has been one of Major League Baseball’s top offensive first basemen since joining the Braves, and he has produced a wRC+ of at least 120 in each of his first two seasons with the team. Olson’s offensive output this season has been marginally below league average (99 wRC+) because of a minor rise in strikeouts and a decline in power.
Throughout his career, Olson has also been recognised for producing outstanding exit velocities; last season, his hard hit percentage of 55.5% was the third-highest among eligible batters. A batter who can consistently smash the ball hard has an advantage since it allows them to hit balls into play more frequently, which leads to base hits, and it also allows them to create power to all fields. Olson’s batted ball quality measures have all declined this season, which may account for the power loss he has already observed.
