Braves’ Matt Olson, Austin Riley named Silver Slugger finalists
Braves first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Austin Riley were named National League Silver Slugger award finalists Wednesday.
Olson and Riley long have been among the premier players at their positions as batters, both known for their power and middle-of-the-order production. Olson won his first Silver Slugger in 2023, while Riley has earned the honor twice (2021, 2023).
The Silver Slugger is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both leagues, as determined by coaches and managers. The 2025 NL Silver Slugger winners will be announced Nov. 6.
It was an underappreciated 2025 campaign for Olson, who’s met or surpassed every reasonable expectation since the Braves acquired him before the 2022 season. Olson, 31, hit 29 homers with 95 RBIs and 98 runs scored while playing in all 162 games for the fourth consecutive season. His .850 OPS was his second-best mark as a Brave and a leap from his .790 OPS in 2024.
Olson is joined by fellow finalists Pete Alonso (Mets) and Freddie Freeman (Dodgers).
Riley, meanwhile, had his season prematurely ended by injury for the second consecutive year, but nonetheless again proved one of the better players at the plate among third basemen. He had a .737 OPS with 16 homers, 54 RBIs and 54 runs scored in 102 games.
Certainly, Riley would tell you this wasn’t his finest campaign, especially in comparison with his two Silver Slugger-winning ones. He’s a finalist alongside Manny Machado (Padres), Matt Chapman (Giants) and Max Muncy (Dodgers).
Since the Silver Slugger’s inception in 1980, Riley and Hall of Famer Chipper Jones (1999-2000) are the only Braves third basemen to earn the award. Their first basemen winners are Olson, Freeman (2019, 2021) and Hall of Famer Fred McGriff (1993).
In addition to Olson, Riley and Freeman, four other Braves won Silver Sluggers over the past decade: Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019, 2023), Ozzie Albies (2019, 2021), Marcell Ozuna (2020) and Max Fried (2021).
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
