ATLANTA — To totally recognize the importance of Matt Olson’s MLB-best consecutive video games performed streak, it’s finest to know what final prevented the Braves’ first baseman from showing in a sport.
“I used to be hitting within the batting cage and the L-screen in [St. Petersburg] didn’t have padding,” Olson stated. “I hit one off the display screen and it got here again and popped me within the eye, and I couldn’t open it for a number of days. I needed to see eye docs and have scans of my eyes and every part. It was most likely a half-inch away from being an actual huge deal.”
This scary incident occurred in the course of the morning of April 29, 2021, as Olson and his Athletics teammates had been making ready for a day collection finale at Tropicana Area. The subsequent 24 hours had been each painful and aggravating. There have been some preliminary considerations about potential long-term imaginative and prescient issues.
So, it’s secure to say no person noticed what was to observe. Olson returned to the A’s lineup on Might 2 and commenced a consecutive video games streak that reached 798 video games when the Braves hosted the Guardians on Sunday night time.
Olson is now tied with Nellie Fox for the Eleventh-longest streak in MLB historical past. After Monday’s sport in opposition to the Marlins, the Braves veteran shall be simply 23 video games away from proudly owning one of many 10 longest streaks in baseball historical past.
“He exhibits up day by day able to go,” Braves supervisor Walt Weiss stated. “However usually, there’s all the time one thing, you already know, a nick right here or there that retains you out, and even getting sick for a day. Guys give you a abdomen flu or one thing for a day and you’ll’t play. This man’s performed via all of it and continues to take action.”
It’s value noting that Olson has been within the beginning lineup for all however one sport throughout this streak. A late-season droop led former Atlanta supervisor Brian Snitker to take a seat the slugger in opposition to the Phillies on Sept. 24, 2022. However the streak exists as a result of Olson ended up taking part in first base in the course of the remaining two innings of a 6-3 Braves win.
Olson is lined as much as personal the ninth-longest streak — at present Eddie Yost’s 829-gamer — earlier than the tip of Might. He would cross Stan Musial (895 video games) and personal the sport’s eighth-longest streak in August.
If Olson performs each sport for the Braves for the fifth straight 12 months, he’ll end this season having performed in 944 consecutive video games. By the tip of the 2027 season, he may personal the sport’s seventh-longest streak, and a pair months into the 2028 season, he may cross Miguel Tejada (1,152 video games) and personal the fifth-longest streak.
Tejada is the one participant to assemble one of many 10 longest streaks this century. Cal Ripken Jr.’s unbreakable document of two,632 consecutive video games led to 1999. That stood because the longest streak since Steve Garvey ended his 1,207 consecutive video games streak in 1983. Garvey’s stretch was the longest since Billy Williams ended his 1,117-game streak in 1970.
Enjoying each sport over quite a few seasons was extra commonplace over earlier many years. However Olson at present sits in a class by himself. The second-longest energetic streak is owned by the Orioles’ Pete Alonso at 431 video games.
Almost 5 full calendar years into the streak, did Olson ever envision setting up this sort of streak?
“The thought by no means actually crossed my thoughts,” Olson stated. “ I’ve all the time stated I simply need to play.”
