Matt Olson, the Atlanta Braves’ first baseman, showed off his Gold Glove fielding prowess Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks led the Braves 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix. With two runners on base and one out, Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno blasted a pop-up to foul territory near right field. Olson made a spectacular sliding catch to get the out, then fired the ball toward home plate before returning to his feet.
Given that Diamondbacks third baseman Joc Pederson tagged on the play, the heads-up throw most likely saved a run. Once Olson released the ball, Pederson sprinted back to third base. Four pitches later, Braves reliever Grant Holmes recorded the third out, allowing Atlanta to leave two runners on base. Olson has made a couple of incredible plays in the last two days alone, helping to enhance his case for a third Gold Glove. On Sunday, the two-time All-Star made a stunning behind-the-back grab against the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving the announcers perplexed.
After finishing fourth in NL MVP voting in 2023, Olson’s numbers at the plate have dropped considerably this season. He entered Monday’s contest batting .239 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI across 88 games played.
Last season, Olson led the majors in home runs (54) and RBI (139). But Olson clearly hasn’t let his down year at the plate impact his defense.
