Braves Report: Matt Olson awakens

Remember when the Braves used to do this all the time — win series with strong pitching and crooked offensive numbers?

Feels like we might have a pretty good week ahead.

And I haven’t even mentioned Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. yet.

THE SERIES AHEAD

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Seventeen games in a row? You’ve earned an off day before starting that series with the Nationals in D.C.

📺 How to watch: All three games (Tuesday through Thursday) are set for 6:45 p.m. on FanDuel Sports.

⚾ The pitching matchups: Tuesday’s matchup is officially listed as “TBA” vs. the Nationals’ Mitchell Parker (3-3, 4.32). But Spencer Strider has been activated from the injured list and is expected to return to the mound.

📝 Scouting report: After losing last week’s series to Atlanta, the Nationals went and swept the rapidly unraveling Orioles.

The Braves scored four runs against both Parker and Williams last week. Gore put up a 2.25 ERA in four starts against Atlanta in 2024.

OLSON ON A TEAR

Credit: Steven Senne/AP

Credit: Steven Senne/AP

Ronald Acuña Jr., fresh off a dominant weekend with Triple-A Gwinnett, could return to the Braves lineup by Friday’s series opener with San Diego. Which could be massive, of course.

But right now I want to talk about Matt Olson.

📈 The pride of Parkview went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles Sunday, capping off a series in which he had seven hits and four RBIs.

📈 His homers on Friday and Saturday were his first in back-to-back games since August.

📈 Overall, Olson is hitting .250 with an .846 OPS in May. His five homers this month already topped his total from March and April combined.

Said Olson: “It’s a small sample size, one series, but I was able to stay on balls the other way and that’s normally a good sign.”

Remember that stretch in 2023, when it felt like every single game started with Acuña on second base and Olson driving him in?

We could be a lot closer to that than you think.

🔗 Bonus link: Drake Baldwin needs more at-bats

ABOUT THE BULLPEN …

Saturday’s relief effort was … not great. Atlanta took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh and, with several key arms unavailable, this happened:

Not exactly breaking any new ground here, but the Braves have got to find reliable guys beyond Dylan Lee, Daysbel Hernandez and (ahem) Raisel Iglesias.

🤔 Just saying: Craig Kimbrel has now posted a 1.86 ERA over 10 appearances with Gwinnett. He’s not the arm-dangling, fear-of-God-instilling pitcher he once was … but there are worse options.

RIVAL WATCH

We’ve covered the Braves and Nats … now let’s see what the rest of the National League East is up to.

🚽 The Mets (29-18) lost two of three during their “Subway Series” with the Yankees. Former Yank Juan Soto went 1-for-10 in his return to the Bronx.

🔔 The Phillies (28-18) lost closer Jose Alvarado for 80 games after he tested positive for “external testosterone.” The team says it was triggered by a weight-loss drug.

Potential replacements for Alvarado include Jordan Romano and Orion Kerkering.

🎣 The Marlins (18-27) won their weekend series with the Rays. And, if you’re into this kind of thing, Cal Quantrill threw the first immaculate inning (nine pitches, three strikeouts) of the major league season.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Credit: Steven Senne/AP

Credit: Steven Senne/AP

Someone in this picture is gonna find themselves hugless when Acuña returns.

OK, TWO MORE THINGS

1️⃣ Want a bobblehead of Michael Harris II riding a scooter in street clothes? Who wouldn’t? The Braves just announced such a giveaway for Sept. 8, a Monday against the Cubs.

2️⃣ When All-Star weekend arrives at Truist Park this July, Chipper Jones and Marquis Grissom will manage the National and American League Futures teams, respectively.

Other coaches include Tim Hudson, Andruw Jones, Fred McGriff and Dale Murphy. Ticket info here.

Thanks for reading Braves Report. Tell a friend — and maybe give the AJC’s Sports Daily newsletter a shot, too.

Until next time.