This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman's Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ATLANTA -- Braves manager Walt Weiss said something interesting after Matt Olson strengthened his MVP case by moving into a tie for the MLB lead with his 35th home run on Tuesday night.
“I know 2023 was a next-level season that he had,” Weiss said. “I think he had 54 homers that year. I don’t know if he ends up with that many this year. But I think he’s an all-around better hitter this year.”
Before attempting to compare these two seasons, we should remember how incredible Olson’s 2023 was. He set a franchise record with his MLB-best 54 homers. He also led the Majors with 139 RBIs (a modern franchise record) and the National League with a .604 slugging percentage.
So how is this season shaping up in comparison to what was one of the best seasons ever constructed by a Braves player?
Olson through 120 games:
2023: .274 BA/.385 OBP/.615 SLG, 43 HRs, 1.000 OPS
2026: .266 BA/.343 OBP/.554 SLG, 35 HRs, .897 OPS
OK, so it’s hard to say this season is better than the one Olson put together three years ago. But the durable first baseman has a chance to do some things Hank Aaron, Chipper Jones, Eddie Mathews and any other player has never done with the Braves.
Will Olson become the first player to produce two 50-homer seasons with the Braves?
Michael Harris II and I had some fun with this after Olson hit his 31st homer on Aug. 2.
“He’s done it before,” Harris said that day. “He knows how to get there. He’s homered in three straight games, so if he homers every day for the rest of the season, he might even get 100, or 90 or something. You never know. Some games he might have two in a game. But he’s never had three. So, he probably can get there.”
Olson needed 19 homers over the final 50 games when I asked Harris the question. We were both taking a somewhat lighthearted look at the possibility. But the left-handed slugger now needs just 15 homers over his last 41 games. So it’s certainly possible.
In fact, Olson has hit 15-plus homers over a 41-game span (same season only) 74 different times in his career.
Who has recorded a 50-plus homer season for the Braves?
Andruw Jones (51 in 2005) and Olson (54 in 2023). So Olson would be the first with two such seasons.
Who has recorded multiple 45-plus homer seasons for the Braves?
Aaron (1962 and ‘71) and Mathews (1953 and ‘59).
How about multiple 40-plus homer seasons?
Aaron (8 seasons), Mathews (4 seasons), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019 and ‘23) and Andruw Jones (2005 and ‘06).
Predicting Olson to hit 10 more homers over the next 42 games seems easy. So I’m expecting him to join these last two groups. As for another 50-homer season, it doesn’t seem prudent to gamble against a guy who entered Wednesday with seven homers in his past 41 at-bats.
Beyond the home runs?
Well, Olson entered Wednesday leading the Majors with 64 extra-base hits. That puts him on pace for 86, two more than he had in 2023. This number would also match Mathews (1953) for the third-highest season total in franchise history. Aaron set the record with 92 in 1959. Chipper Jones ranks second with the 89 he tallied during his 1999 NL MVP season.
So, how many players have produced 80-plus extra-base hits in multiple seasons for the Braves?
Olson would join Aaron as the only member of this group. Hammerin’ Hank did this in 1959 (92) and 1961 (83).
Conclusion: Olson’s current season might not be as impressive as his 2023 campaign. But given that he has a good chance to join groups only inhabited by Aaron (multiple 80-XBH seasons) and Aaron and Mathews (multiple 45-homer seasons) it’s safe to say the combination of these two great seasons makes for something pretty special.