Athletics Send Matt Olson Message After Atlanta Braves Move

Matt Olson, who was one of the Athletics’ most notable homegrown talents, departed before the club could build a long-term contender around him.

That loss has been the Braves’ gain, as Olson has served as one of the most productive and consistent sluggers in the big leagues since joining them. But the Athletics' vision for Las Vegas, at least as outlined recently by team president Marc Badain, is one that would protect future stars like Olson from ever departing for another franchise.

“It’s not like we didn’t try before,” Badain said of failing to retain star players while the Athletics were based in Oakland, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “I mean, we tried to sign [Matt] Olson... We just couldn’t make it happen.”

Pointing to the Braves’ star as a key player who got away, Badain attempted to reassure fans that a move to Las Vegas would keep that from happening in the future.

“Now, we think that we have the nucleus of incredibly dynamic young players, and we want to keep those guys as long as we can,” Badain added, per Nightengale. “I think that really bodes well for us in the future."

Atlanta Braves’ Matt Olson Hears From Former Team Ahead Of Big Move

The former Oakland first baseman was traded to Atlanta in March 2022 and quickly signed a long-term extension, becoming a cornerstone of the Braves' lineup. Evidently, that only came after the team made some efforts to lock him into a longer-term deal.

That might have been the clearest example that the Athletics have recently been unable or unwilling to commit financially to expensive talent, but it’s understandable that the franchise wants to set the record straight as it sets its sights on Las Vegas.

Recently, Major League Baseball tried to give local fans a taste of what it could mean to have the Athletics move into town permanently.

“Before the A’s relocate to a new ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip set to open for the start of the 2028 season, they began a special six-game homestand on Monday night about 13 miles west of that site at Las Vegas Ballpark — home of the club’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators — to give locals an up-close look at its future home team,” MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos reported last week.

The franchise's ambitions extend well beyond simply building a new stadium once they move in fulltime. And the team seems to be laying the groundwork for attracting stars of Olson’s caliber.

“This $2 billion joint will be surrounded by an entertainment district along with a Bally’s resort and casino,” Nightingale wrote of the Athletic’s new stadium. “It should immediately become the ultimate destination for the game’s marquee free agents, with players on opposing teams already telling A’s players to pass the word they want to come.”

Whether that vision becomes reality remains to be seen. Free-agent recruiting pitches often sound more convincing on paper than they do in practice.

But it could be the difference in the Athletics retaining veteran stars rather than trading them away to teams like the Braves.