LOS ANGELES -- Freddie Freeman’s assumption that he would spend his entire career with Atlanta ended on March 14, 2022, the day the Braves acquired Matt Olson from the A’s. It was an awkward and initially painful separation for the man who had been the Braves’ everyday first baseman from 2011-2021.
Needless to say, the pain has faded as Freeman has spent the past five years establishing himself as a legend in another organization. He’ll always cherish his days with the Braves. But over this next week, they will stand as the enemy.
Freeman’s Dodgers will face the Braves in the National League Division Series that begins on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. The 2020 NL MVP has played 29 games against Atlanta over the past five seasons. But this marks the first time he will face his original organization in the postseason.
“I understand it will be a storyline,” Freeman said. “I get it. But it is five years later. I'm not going to try and look at it any differently. It's another team that I'm trying to get through to win another championship.”
The NLDS will create another opportunity to highlight the link that will forever exist between Freeman and Olson, the two players who have combined to provide the Braves excellence at first base over the past two decades.
Freeman certainly didn’t like seeing his job given to somebody else. As for Olson, it wasn’t easy for him to come to Atlanta to replace a franchise icon. But never once has there been any sort of animosity or awkwardness between the two first basemen.
In fact, the two have attended events together, including a Morgan Wallen concert at Truist Park last year. There is a genuine mutual respect.
“Matt is a great guy and an unbelievable baseball player,” Freeman said. “He's one of the best power hitters in our game right now. So it's fun. And he's from [Atlanta]. That massive home run he hit yesterday was just cool.”
Olson’s 416-foot home run in the seventh inning of Thursday’s night’s 6-2 win over the Phillies reminded the baseball world of his great power. Atlanta’s first baseman ranks fifth among all MLB players with 329 homers since the start of 2018, his first full big league season.
With the 41 homers hit this season, Olson joined Hank Aaron (eight times), Eddie Mathews (four times) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (twice) as the only players to tally multiple 40-homer seasons for the Braves.
“Matt had a lot on his plate when he first got here,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He was replacing an icon. I think we got the only guy that could do it, the only guy that could step in in that role at that time. Matt's been a superstar for us.”
The Braves’ final written offer to Freeman was a five-year, $135 million deal ($27 million average annual value). The 10-time All-Star was 32 at the time.
After acquiring Olson, Atlanta immediately gave him an eight-year, $168 million deal ($21 million AAV). The new acquisition was preparing for his age-28 season.
The Braves knew Freeman might have a few more MVP-caliber seasons in him. But they also were confident Olson would provide similar production through those first few years and then continue to provide elite production while Freeman moved north of 35.
Olson’s power and defensive skills provide his greatest value. His 25.2 bWAR since the start of 2022 ranks 10th among all MLB players, putting him three spots ahead of Freeman (23.8).
Of course, Freeman holds the edge in batting average (.306 to .259), OPS (.885 to .852) and most importantly World Series titles (2 to 0) over these past five seasons. He highlighted this run by becoming the only player in MLB history to hit a walk-off homer in a World Series game multiple times.
Olson is still bidding for that big postseason moment. But more importantly, he’s vying to lead the Braves to a World Series title, just like Freeman did in 2021.
“I’d say he’s our captain,” Braves catcher Sean Murphy said. “He goes out there every single day and hit 40 home runs. I’d say we’re happy to have Matt Olson on our team."