Braves Report: Matt Olson appreciation post

Greetings, friends.

Coming to you live from a condo on the Florida coast … where I’ve already taken more days off work than a certain Braves first baseman would ever dream.

STILL UNDERRATED

Credit: AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Credit: AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Matthew Kent Olson has not missed a single game since he became a Brave.

No illnesses or injuries or mental breaks or family things or whatever else. Exactly 740 games on the schedule, exactly 740 games played.

No. 741 arrives tonight in St. Louis — and, barring something truly extraordinary, Olson will pass the beloved Dale Murphy for most consecutive games played in a Braves uniform.

“A ton of luck involved with that, too,” Olson told the AJC before the season. “Playing first base, I will always say, is part of it, the equation there. I’m not spending as much energy as these guys are in the outfield or shortstop or whatever it might be. I’m not stealing 70 bases. I’m not really the guy putting myself in harm’s way that much. I should be out there.”

Sure, but … Olson’s out there like few players are.

Or ever have been.

Dating back to the streak’s start in Oakland, the Lilburn native has played in 873 straight games.

Only eight other players in the history of baseball have hung in longer:

Pete Alonso is second on the active list. He’s still in the 400s.

And did we mention Olson hits dingers?

He sent his 25th flying last night, his sixth consecutive season hitting that mark (eighth, if you toss out the shortened 2020 campaign). Lest we forget, he also holds the Braves single-season record, with 54.

As our friend Gabe Burns wrote way back in May, the man remains criminally underrated.

PRE-ALL-STAR VIBE CHECK

The Braves are 54-38, with their most pre-All-Star game wins since 2023 (and three games left to play). They’ve got a three-game division lead over the Phillies and Marlins, and seem to have refound their footing of late.

Buuuuut that lead was once much larger, the baseball much better, the injuries fewer.

🤔 So here’s today’s question: How are we feeling about Atlanta’s chances the rest of the way?

Cast your vote via fancy form or shoot me an email. Then check back next week for results.

WHAT’S ON DECK: ST. LOUIS AND THE ALL-STAR GAME

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Los Bravos take on the Cardinals again this weekend, with game times at 8:15, 7:15 and 2:40 p.m., respectively. Tonight’s clash is an AppleTV affair.

The probable starters in St. Louis:

Should be a good one … if Braves pitchers can limit the damage done by Decatur High grad and MLB RBI leader Jordan Walker.

Then it’s the All-Star game.

Weekend festivities include the HBCU Swingman Classic (7 p.m. Friday, MLB Network), the MLB draft (1 p.m. Saturday, NBC) and the Futures Game (noon Sunday, NBC).

As you’re no doubt aware, catcher Drake Baldwin and second baseman Ozzie Albies got starting nods for the National League. Olson, Chris Sale and Raisel Iglesias made the roster, too.

🔮 Relatively tame predictions: Baldwin drives in a run. Olson homers. Sale gets an inning. Michael Harris II also ends up making the squad as a replacement.

QUICK, SOME OTHER (PROSPECT-Y) NEWS!

🧐 We mentioned the MLB draft above, and beat writer Chad Bishop has more details on what to expect. The Braves have pick Nos. 9, 26, 48, 84 and 112.

Georgia Tech’s Drew Burress might be an option.

🤨 Top prospect Cam Caminiti was, somehow, the only Braves farmhand included on initial rosters for the Futures Game. He’s 2-3 with a 4.08 ERA (plus 68 strikeouts in 68⅓ innings) for High-A Rome this season.

🤞 Pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver is moving his rehab work to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he’ll get the start Saturday. Smith-Shawver previously made two starts for Single-A Augusta, allowing one earned run over seven innings.

💪 Meanwhile: Sandy Leon and other MLB vets on Gwinnett’s roster continue filling their dual role as player and mentor.

👊 Former 2021 draft picks Cal Conley and Adam Zebrowski, now with Gwinnett, have been BFFs on every step of their minor league journey.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Not a bad view.

Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — maybe give the Win Column a shot, too.

Until next time.