PHILADELPHIA – On Monday, Matt Olson was named National League Player of the Week.
You have read a version of this sentence a lot this season – six other times, in fact.
The Braves have earned a franchise-record seven such selections this season. Their seven instances of winning the award tied a MLB single-season record. (No team has ever had eight different players win the award.)
The other clubs who had seven weekly winners in the same season: The 2022 Cardinals, the 2017 Marlins, the 1995 Dodgers, the 1988 Reds, the 1980 Yankees, and the 2007, 1996 and 1977 Red Sox.
This is Olson’s third career weekly honor, and the second of this season. He also won on Aug. 14.
In six games last week, Olson went 12-for-22 with four homers and eight RBIs. He had a double, four walks and eight runs scored. He posted a .630 on-base percentage and a 1.136 slugging percentage.
Olson homered in three straight games to begin the week as he blasted a solo home run in each of the contests against the Cardinals.
He ended the week having recorded multiple hits in each of the last five games, which was the longest multi-hit streak in his career.
In baseball, the adage says the best ability is availability. Olson shines in this area.
Since May 2, 2021, when he played for Oakland, the first baseman had appeared in 438 consecutive games through Sunday – the majors’ longest active streak. The only one he didn’t start was Sept. 24, 2022, when he was a defensive replacement after originally getting the day off.
Houston’s Jose Altuve was named the American League Player of the Week.
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