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Matt Olson news
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The gist
Matt Olson hit his 35th homer, tying for MLB lead. His power surge makes him an MVP contender.
Background
Matt Olson, the Atlanta Braves first baseman, has been on a hot streak, hitting six home runs in 10 games in August. His 35th homer on Tuesday tied him with Kyle Schwarber, Yordan Alvarez, and Junior Caminero for the major league lead. This performance has sparked discussions about his MVP candidacy and whether he can approach his career-high 54 homers from 2023.
How it unfolded
- Aug 12, 2026Olson hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against the Mets, his 35th of the season, tying for the MLB lead.
- Aug 12, 2026Braves manager Walt Weiss praised Olson, saying he hasn't seen a better version of the slugger since he arrived in Atlanta.
- Aug 13, 2026MLB.com compared Olson's 2026 season to his 2023 MVP-caliber year, noting his 64 extra-base hits lead the majors.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Braves manager Walt Weiss believes Olson is playing the best baseball of his Atlanta tenure.
- Analysts
- MLB.com notes Olson's 2026 numbers, while slightly below 2023, put him on pace for 86 extra-base hits, which would be historic for the franchise.
- Bulls
- Fantasy analysts highlight Olson's power surge, with eight homers in his last 14 games, as a sign of elite upside.
- Caution
- Some analysts caution that Olson's batting average and OPS are lower than his 2023 season, suggesting he may not replicate that historic output.