Matt Olson hopes to turn offensive struggles around soon

There was a point in the not-too-distant past when Matt Olson was making a case for himself to be in the National League MVP discussion. That’s no longer likely for the Braves’ veteran first baseman, who has had a mighty tough go of it at the plate in recent weeks.

Olson went into Tuesday’s game against the Rays with an OPS of .713, the lowest it has been since four games into the season, and with a season-low average of .249.

“Obviously not the best stretch here for me,” Olson said during a conversation with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday.

Chalk it up to just the ebbs and flows of a long season?

“I mean, yes and no. I’m obviously working on stuff,” Olson said. “You want to get it right, but you can also go too far with it. Sometimes just going in and trying to see the ball and being on time is important, too. It’s like working on what you want to work on before the game, and, like I said, see the ball, be on time, go play.”

Olson still leads the Braves in homers (37), doubles (33), total bases (283), walks (60), slugging (.507) and runs (94), and is tied for the team lead in RBIs (80). That’s despite a dreadful August in which he hit .226.

He is 18-for-108 (.166) since Aug. 7, when his batting average rested at .269. He’s 2-for-27 since Aug. 30, when his walk-off hit in the 10th inning beat the Rockies.

In his past 11 games, Olson has struck out 15 times and at least once every game. He last homered Aug. 26, one of just two home runs he has connected on since Aug. 12.

“Just been a little behind on some pitches. It’s pretty common for hitters. It feels like you’re late on fastballs and early on off-speed,” Olson said. “Sometimes that can be rushing, sometimes it can be mechanics, sometimes it can be whatever. Sometimes you gotta go through the gantlet a little bit.”

On Tuesday, Olson was in the lineup to start at first base and bat third against the Rays at Truist Park. When he takes the field, it will be his 927th straight game, which begs the question as to whether a day off might do him some good. After all, right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. recently sat out a night and has been scorching hot ever since.

Don’t expect Olson to readily agree to such a strategy.

“No,” he said bluntly. “We’re coming down the stretch here. I want to be in the lineup. I want to help us win. If ( Braves manager) Walt (Weiss) ever came up to me with the idea, then it has to be something that I’d be open to. But I ain’t bringing it up to him.”

Said Weiss: “I’m not going to be the one to screw that (consecutive games played streak) up. And if I did, you can bet he’d get a pinch-hit at some point. Yeah, we’re not there yet.”