Matt Olson, how do you celebrate being named National League Player of the Week?
Only by going 2-for-3 with two homers – his 49th and 50th of the season – and driving in four runs.
The Braves first baseman was named the Player of the Week on Monday. The news came down between games of a day-night doubleheader at the Phillies. Olson was 1-for-4 with two RBIs in the opening game and then added to his major league-leading home run total in the nightcap.
Olson, as we have documented, is now one home run away from Andruw Jones’ single-season franchise record of 51 home runs. Chances are, with 18 games remaining, that record will fall.
“Yeah, it’d be nice,” Olson said after Monday’s doubleheader. “You’d be lying if you say you don’t want it. It’s not the priority, but yeah, it’d be cool.”
For the week of Sept. 4-10, Olson was 12-for-22 (.545) with four home runs and eight RBIs in six games. Add in Monday’s two games and he is 15-for-29 (.517) with six home runs and 14 RBIs. We say he is off to a good start to defend this weekly honor.
It’s the second time this season that Olson has won the award. He was also honored on Aug. 13.
In all, the Braves have been named the Player of the Week seven times among six different players. The seven awards are a franchise record and tied for the MLB single-season mark.
Here is the list:
May 7: Sean Murphy
June 18: Michael Harris II
July 2: Ronald Acuña Jr.
July 23: Austin Riley
Aug. 13: Matt Olson
Aug. 20: Eddie Rosario
Sept. 11: Matt Olson
*To commemorate Olson’s 50th home run, the AJC produced a special poster in our e-Paper that chronicles each of the blasts with date, opponent, inning, RBIs and distance.
Credit: Staff
Credit: Staff
