This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Spring Coaching outcomes don’t matter except they find yourself becoming the narrative.
So possibly we shouldn’t make an excessive amount of of the two-run homer Matt Olson hit within the first inning of Wednesday’s recreation in opposition to the Pirates. The middle area blast was hit in opposition to Pittsburgh Minor Leaguer Mike Burrows, who allowed 1.7 homers per 9 innings on the Triple-A degree final yr.
And if we’re getting enthusiastic about this Feb. 26 homer, why aren’t we going loopy about Sandy León homering in two of his first three at-bats of the Grapefruit League season?
Possibly as a result of the 35-year-old León has 31 profession homers and Olson is only one season faraway from a 54-homer marketing campaign. Or possibly extra particularly, it’s as a result of we bear in mind how these previous two Spring Trainings have developed for the Braves’ first baseman.
Olson homered eight occasions in 47 at-bats, as soon as each 5.9 at-bats, throughout Spring Coaching in 2023. He led the Majors in dwelling runs (54) and RBIs (139), whereas additionally establishing a .993 OPS that very same yr.
Olson homered simply as soon as in 44 at-bats throughout final yr’s Grapefruit League season. He then hit 29 homers, his lowest whole in a 162-game season since 2018, with a .790 OPS.
Dangerous Spring Trainings don’t assure dangerous seasons, the identical approach good Spring Trainings don’t assure something both. But it surely must be identified that Olson additionally homered six occasions in 49 at-bats, as soon as each 8.2 at-bats, forward of the 2021 common season. He hit 39 homers with 111 RBIs that yr, his last with the A’s earlier than being traded to Atlanta.
If Olson doesn’t homer once more earlier than the common season, the narrative will likely be he was saving his energy for the common season. However for now, we’ll simply say this February homer was an indication of fine issues to return over the following seven to eight months.
“[Last season] wasn’t the yr you got down to have,” Olson mentioned. “I used to be pleased with the way in which I used to be in a position to battle again within the second half and I used to be in a position to assist the crew.”
Olson batted .223 with 15 homers and a .697 OPS by way of the season’s first 106 video games. He batted .293 with 14 homers and a .966 OPS over the 56 video games that adopted. With Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley sidelined with season-ending accidents and Marcell Ozuna fading in September, Olson saved the Braves afloat and pushed them into the postseason together with his late cost.
“I feel I used to be attempting to do some an excessive amount of early on,” Olson mentioned. “I discovered a solution to do what I do, which is drive in runs and supply energy in the course of the lineup. It’s the enjoyable of it. You at all times get to return to the drafting board and see how one can enhance.”
Olson homered as soon as each 14.6 at-bats throughout that sturdy 56-game stretch to finish final season. He homered as soon as each 11.3 at-bats throughout his record-setting 2023 season.
Will he begin this season like he completed the final? We would get a greater concept over the following few weeks.
But when he doesn’t have Grapefruit League season, keep in mind that Spring Coaching outcomes don’t matter.
