3 Braves players who must outperform 2022 to get back to World Series
Atlanta Braves. 17. 1B. Matt Olson. 2. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Braves need the Matt Olson to be more consistent in the 2023 season
On the whole, it might not have looked like the season was that bad for Matt Olson after he came over from Oakland via trade and signed a big extension with Atlanta in the wake of Freddie Freeman leaving for the Dodgers. He finished the season slashing .240/.325/.477 with 34 home runs and 103 RBI for the year, all of which were down from 2021 but still showed good production.
What those final numbers don’t reflect, however, was the inconsistency that Olson displayed throughout the year.
Olson’s production was split pretty wildly between the first and second halves of the season. He hit for more power in the second half with 17 home runs and 43 RBI in the final 68 games of the year, which was the same number of dingers as he hit in the first 94 games of the season. But at the same time, the first half run before the All-Star break saw him post an OPS of .828 and OPS+ of 133 while those numbers dropped to .765 and 114 in the second half.
There’s no question that, no matter what, Olson is a plus asset for the Braves. He’s a terrific glove at first base and consistently showed his ability to hit for power. What Atlanta needs to see from him in the 2023 season, however, is a player who can both maintain something around his career .846 OPS while still providing that pop in the heart of the lineup.
As he was adjusting to his new team and the trials of a heated NL East race, some of his inconsistency can be excused. That being said, it’s something the Braves need to see less of for the 2023 campaign.