Atlanta Braves Land Matt Olson To Replace Free Agent Freddie Freeman

The Atlanta Braves will have 6’5″ lefthanded slugger at first base this season. It just won’t be Freddie Freeman.

Tired of waiting for Freeman, a free agent, to pick a team, the Braves landed Matt Olson from the Oakland Athletics Monday for a hefty package that included their two top prospects, center fielder Cristian Pache and catcher Shea Langeliers.

Olson, who turns 28 later this month, will be under Atlanta control for two more seasons before he can become a free agent. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos announced the move with tears in his eyes.

Freeman had been considered the Face of the Franchise by Braves fans after spending his entire 12-year career in Atlanta. But Olson is an Atlanta native who can quickly endear himself to fans of the defending World Champions.

Last year with Oakland, he posted career peaks in home runs (39), runs scored (101), and runs batted in (111) while hitting .271. A two-time Gold Glove recipient, he was an American League All-Star with the Athletics for the first time in 2021.

Younger and cheaper than Freeman, Olson earned $5 million last year but is eligible for salary arbitration that could more than double his salary. Freeman, a five-time All-Star who won an MVP award two years ago, just completed an eight-year, $135 million contract with the Braves.

Anthopoulos had been embroiled in contract negotiations with Freeman since last spring but had been wary of meeting the slugger’s demands in years or dollars. Various reports had indicated Freeman was looking for something approaching six years and $180 million, although that number may have increased as lesser players got bigger contracts since the end of the 2021 campaign.

The Atlanta GM said the Olson deal was the hardest he ever had to make. He was not only replacing an icon but also dealing top prospects for the first time in nearly five years with the team.

In addition to the 24-year-old Langeliers, a rifle-armed receiver whom the Braves had viewed as their catcher of the future, Atlanta had projected Pache, 23, a gifted defensive player, to be their Opening Day center-fielder. He had that role last season before injuries intervened and forced his return to Triple-A Gwinnett.

Pache replaces Starling Marte, who finished last season with Oakland before jumping to the New York Mets as a free agent, while Langeliers could reach the majors sooner with the rebuilding A’s – perhaps even this season.

In addition to Pache and Langeliers, Oakland also obtained a pair of right-handed pitching prospects, Ryan Cusick and Joey Estes. Cusick was Atlanta’s top amateur draft pick in 2021.

Although Atlanta fans will liken the end of the Freeman era with the free-agent departure of Hall of Famer Tom Glavine after the 2002 season, the Braves will benefit financially – allowing Anthopoulos to pursue free-agent sluggers Jorge Soler and Eddie Rosario, Most Valuable Players in the 2021 Championship Series and World Series, respectively.

Olson will also provide better defense at first base, though Freeman was accomplished in the field too. Four-and-a-half years younger, Olson led all first basemen with 34 Defensive Runs Saved dating back to 2017 (despite playing in just 59 games that year). Olson’s 22.8 Ultimate Zone Rating also leads his position during that time-frame.

A fan favorite in Oakland, Olson should increase his power production now that he’s not playing half his games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. He’s likely to bat third, behind Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Ozzie Albies, in the batting order after Acuna returns in May from a torn ACL.

Barring a trade or free-agent signing, Atlanta’s cleanup man figures to be Marcell Ozuna, who led the National League in home runs, runs batted in, and total bases during the Covid-shortened season of 2020 but missed most of last year because of injuries and legal troubles.

The Braves will also get additional power from Austin Riley and Adam Duvall, who joined Albies as 100-RBI men last season.

Atlanta is seeking its fifth straight divisional title in the National League East but will have to ward off the high-spending New York Mets, whose payroll is approaching $300 million. The current Braves payroll, according to Spotrac, is $137,925,000.