Though the season started with high hopes, the Atlanta Braves have been plagued by injuries.
Braves players have missed more than 700 games as nearly every player on their roster has been bitten by the bug, and currently, 13 players are listed on the team’s injury report.
Somehow, Matt Olson has been able to answer the bell for all 130 games. Now, he’s closing on history.
Sunday’s start was Olson’s 454th consecutive game at first base, leaving him within striking distance of one of baseball’s all-time greats. In the last 80 seasons, only Pete Rose has played more games at first base. Rose appeared in 477 straight games between the 1979 and 1982 seasons.
If Olson can close the deal this season, he will have played all 162 for the fourth time and his third season in a row. He also played in all 60 games of the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign.
Since 2018 he’s played in 959 of a possible 1,000 games, spanning his time with the Oakland A’s and now with the Braves.
Olson has struggled to follow up his career-best 2023 season when he led the NL with 54 home runs and 139 RBI while batting .283. This season, he’s hitting .226 with 22 homers and 66 runs batted in.
The Braves have to hope he rounds into form down the stretch as more of their talent returns to the field.
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