Don’t panic: Matt Olson has perfect message for Braves fans

Matt Olson said the right things Atlanta Braves fans needed to hear after a dreadful series.

For the first time in months, the Atlanta Braves have actually lost a series.

I know, it stinks, but these things do happen all the time, even to the best teams in baseball. After dominating in Game 1 on Friday night, Atlanta lost a tight one on Saturday evening before completely unraveling on Sunday afternoon vs. the Chicago White Sox. We know the Braves are the team to beat in baseball, whereas Chicago has massively underperformed. This feels brutal.

The good news is All-Star first baseman Matt Olson is not calling for a bounce back. They have an off-day on Monday before a big home series vs. the NL West-contending Arizona Diamondbacks. I am not saying the Braves played down to the level of their competition vs. Chicago at home over the weekend, but rather, Chicago played up to the Braves’ level. Good for them, but it really sucks.

So if you need a pick-me-up on this Monday morning, Braves Country, read what Olson told David O’Brien of The Athletic about where the team is at heading into the second half of July now.

"“I wouldn’t call it needing to bounce back. We’re in a good spot here. We’ve got a really good team. Lost a couple of games. We were close (Saturday night), and (Dylan) Cease threw a good game today. We’ll be fine Tuesday … One game where you don’t hit a homer is fine. Didn’t win the series, but (we’ll) come back Tuesday, and try to win the next one.”"

I also really appreciate Olson giving White Sox starter Dylan Cease a lot of credit from Sunday.

Matt Olson gives Atlanta Braves the perfect message after tough series loss

What I think Braves fans are strangely learning how to forget is just how hard baseball really is. It is a skill game based on failure. You hit .300, which is great, but it also means you’re out 70 percent of the time. We also have to remember that everybody is giving the Braves everything they’ve got. Usually, it is never enough, but there are going to be weekends like this past one.

Frankly, don’t we all kind of want some of this low-key level of adversity at this stage of the year? What the Braves did from Memorial Day weekend and into the All-Star break is not that sustainable. Nobody wins something like 80 percent of its games for a fifth of a season. Like, that’s absurd! But it happened, and it’s happening, baby. You just have to be ready for the moment.

Ultimately, I still think this team is going to win the World Series. I have felt that way since Spring Training. There may have been stretches in April and early May where I wasn’t so sure, but right now, right now, I know this team is going to bounce back because well, it’s built to. Let’s just sit back, relax and enjoy a baseball-free Monday for the Braves before we get ready for them Snakes.

Olson may be soft-spoken and a bit reserved, but I know how much he loves playing for this team.