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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 29: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he rounds first base after hitting a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Truist Park on April 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Matt Olson is having an incredible season for the Atlanta Braves. As of May fifth, Olson is tied for the lead in ALL of MLB in WAR. Some analysts are starting to question what his already illustrious career is trending toward.
MLB insider and analyst Jeff Passan was the first to jump on the Olson hype train.
Passan posted on X: “Matt Olson is having a monster year. Leads all of MLB in WAR, RBIs, and runs, is atop the National League with 13 home runs, and just hit a go-ahead homer to dead center off Andrés Muñoz. Atlanta has the best record in MLB in large part because of Olson.”
After hitting a clutch home run off Mariners’ star closer Andres Munoz, the baseball world has taken notice of Olson’s monster year.
Matt Olson is having a monster year. Leads all of MLB in WAR, RBIs and runs, is atop the National League with 13 home runs and just hit a go-ahead homer to dead center off Andrés Muñoz. Atlanta has the best record in MLB in large part because of Olson.
Olson’s production has not only led the Braves to a bounce-back season thus far, but it has also put his career in serious conversation for enshrinement.
Baseball personalities Chris Rose and Trevor Plouffe recently chimed in on all of the Olson headlines on The Rose Rotation.
“So he’s 32, he just hit number 300, is it possible we’ve been sleeping on a Hall of Fame trajectory for the Braves’ first baseman?” said Rose.
Plouffe quickly responded, “Yeah, I think so. I don’t know if he’s been a guy we’ve discussed like this. You start to think about it like, ‘What does it take to get into the Hall of Fame?’ It’s longevity. You’ve got to play for a long time and be productive in those years. He’s 32 years old, he’s productive as ever, and what does this guy do better than anybody right now? He plays every day.”
Olson recently swatted his 300th home run. He was the 166th player to reach said milestone. In the grand scheme of Major League Baseball, that’s quite the club to punch your ticket to.
In his fifth season with Atlanta, Olson is better than ever. His OPS sits at 1.077 through his first 143 at-bats. Not only are the surface-level numbers scary, but his metrics tell the same story. Ranking in the 95th percentile or better in batting run value (16), fielding run value (3), xwOBA (.405), xSLG (.610), barrel percentage (18.9), and outs above average (3), has Olson steadily running circles around the rest of the league.
An interesting addition to the larger-than-life lefties Hall of Fame candidacy is his glove work. Making the Hall of Fame as a first baseman usually comes in the form of 500-foot home runs and a knack for RBI. Olson hit homers, drives in runs, and he can pick it. The sure-handed slugger is already a three-time Gold Glove winner, and he hasn’t slowed. At a mere 32 years of age, it’s safe to say he’ll be in Gold Glove contention for the foreseeable future.
Olson’s dominant season has the Braves back at perennial competitiveness. Atlanta has a lineup full of young talent tied down for the long haul. If baseball’s best ironman holds firm, he could become a baseball immortal.
AJ Stone AJ Stone is a baseball writer for Heavy, covering MLB news and various trends. His work has also appeared on Redbird Rants, Inside Halos, District on Deck, and other digital outlets. With a focus on analytics, he aims to blend data with storytelling for an engaging experience for his readers. More about AJ Stone
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