{"id":83549,"date":"2025-08-26T08:22:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T08:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=83549"},"modified":"2025-08-26T08:22:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T08:22:02","slug":"breaking-4-years-later-olsons-value-keeps-rising-for-the-braves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=83549","title":{"rendered":"Breaking: 4 Years Later, Olson’s Value Keeps Rising for the Braves"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ATLANTA — When the Braves ended Freddie Freeman\u2019s hope to spend his entire career in Atlanta by\u00a0acquiring\u00a0Matt Olson\u00a0before the start of the 2022 season, it seemed the decision would make more sense after a few years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Well, as Freeman creeps toward his late 30s and Olson remains in what should still be his prime, it looks like the controversial decision could become even more valuable over the next few years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Freeman is a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer who will be one of the most beloved players in Braves history. Seeing his illustrious Atlanta tenure end immediately after he brought the city its second World Series title was a serious gut punch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But when Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos had to make a decision before the 2022 season, the past was trumped by the future.<\/p>\n

Regardless of whether Freeman was going to end up with a five- or six-year deal, Anthopoulos had to account for how the Braves were best situated during what would have been the latter years of a deal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Let\u2019s just say Freeman would have accepted a five-year deal to stay in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

This, of course, means the A\u2019s would have traded Olson elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This comparison will give you an idea of what you might have been thinking at the end of the 2024 season, which Freeman highlighted with one of the\u00a0most incredible World Series performances in history.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2022-24 seasons<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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  • Freeman (age 32-34 seasons): 18.4\u00a0fWAR\u00a0and 152\u00a0wRC+\u00a0(led all MLB first basemen in both categories)<\/li>\n
  • Olson (age 28-30 seasons): 12.4 fWAR (second among first basemen) and 134 wRC+<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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