WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 24: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves runs towards the dugout after being called out on a force out in the second inning during game one of a doubleheader against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
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The Atlanta Braves are trying to navigate some persistent injuries and roster challenges as they look to maintain a top spot among National League pennant contenders.
For a club that entered the year with relatively modest postseason aspirations, a surprising surge to the top of the standings has come with some significant personnel shuffling, moving players into unfamiliar situations and finding creative ways to survive stretches with limited depth.
And in a recent game, that meant superstar infielder Matt Olson had to do something that fans had not seen in nearly a decade.
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The unusual sequence unfolded late in Atlanta's recent loss to the San Francisco Giants.
“For the first time in an MLB game since Aug. 21, 2017, Atlanta star Matt Olson did not take the field at first base,” MLB.com’s Max Ralph reported. “He galloped to right field for the ninth inning of a 7-5 loss to the Giants. He did not have a defensive chance among the game’s final three outs.”
The move was notable because Olson has been one of baseball’s premier defensive first basemen for years and a key thumper in the Braves’ batting order this season. But it was necessary with both Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna Jr. sidelined by injury because the Braves’ newest slugger, veteran journeyman Rowdy Tellez, refuses to return to the outfield at this point in his career.
“Yeah, I’m a big ‘no grass’ guy anymore,” Tellez said of refusing to leave the infield, which ultimately pushed Olson back to the outfield in the Giants game, during a recent appearance on Foul Territory. “I don’t go out there.”
That stance effectively left Olson as the player asked to make the unusual defensive adjustment, as Tellez confirmed on Foul Territory.
“Tellez remained at first base after batting in Kim's spot,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported during the Giants game. “This led to Matt Olson going to right field for the ninth. First time Olson has played the outfield since 2017.”
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“The Braves have been hit — hard — by injuries in 2026,” Ralph wrote. “And it’s turning them toward extreme measures just to get through nine innings.”
Fortunately for the Braves, the move did not result in any difficult plays coming Olson’s way. Still, it served as a reminder of just how unusual Atlanta’s roster situation has become. And if Tellez won’t be flexible, it could mean more changes for the other members of the roster in the near future.
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