DETROIT -- Athletics rookie Matt Olson has homered in four consecutive games after hitting a two-run shot in the third inning for his 22nd of the season in Monday's 8-3 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park.
Olson hit homers in each of the Athletics' three games at Philadelphia over the weekend before extending his streak Monday on a Buck Farmer fastball up in the zone. The A's franchise record is six consecutive games with a home run, set by Frank Thomas in 2006.
Olson has homered in three consecutive games on four separate occasions this season and has 14 homers in his last 20 games. He is averaging a home run every eight at-bats in 65 games this season.
"I wouldn't say I expect it," Olson said of his recent hot streak. "You can't expect something like this to happen. I know I'm capable of it. Just kind of sit back and be in the moment and approach it the same way as the day before."
With 11 long balls in September, manager Bob Melvin said it has been a lot of fun to watch the 23-year-old first baseman break out along with fellow heavy-hitting rookies Cody Bellinger (38 homers this season) of the Dodgers and Rhys Hoskins (18 since his big league debut on Aug. 10) of the Phillies.
"We get into [Philadelphia] and a lot of talk about Hoskins, too, kind of parallel with what they were doing at the time," Melvin said. "[Olson] didn't hit a home run every game, but you get to the point now where there's an expectation level with him where every time he goes up there, with what he's doing right now, he's got a chance to hit one out of the ballpark."
Melvin sees Olson as a big part of the organization's future.
"On top of that, he's a terrific defender at first base," Melvin said. "We're trying to find some building blocks for the future, and we feel like he's one of them."