Fastball

Atlanta Braves' Stalwart Ties Former Star First Baseman on Impressive List in Recent History

They say the best ability is availability and Atlanta Braves' first baseman Matt Olson is proving that at historic levels this season. Olson played in his 507th consecutive game on Saturday, which tied with another former Braves' first baseman in recent baseball history.

Brady Farkas

May 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) warms up on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) warms up on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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They say that the best ability is availability and Atlanta Braves' first baseman Matt Olson continues to prove that day in and day out.

Olson played in his 507th consecutive game on Saturday afternoon as the Braves took on the Pittsburgh Pirates, which pulled him into a tie with another Braves' first baseman on an impressive list in recent baseball history.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

Matt Olson has played 507 consecutive games, dating to 5/2/21

only other streaks of 500+ since 2000:

2000-07 Miguel Tejada: 1,152
2018-22 Whit Merrifield: 553
2010-14 Prince Fielder: 547
2000-03 Alex Rodriguez: 546
2003-06 Hideki Matsui: 518
2004-07 Mark Teixeira: 507

h/t @EliasSports

No one is confusing Olson for Cal Ripken Jr. in terms of being the "Ironman," but it's very impressive what Olson has been able to do in modern baseball. The modern game is all about efficiency and optimizing performance and often times, to do that, a team will mandate that players take breaks. However, Olson has been able to buck that trend after playing every game since his streak began midway through the 2021 season.

The 30-year-old Olson is generally one of the most productive hitters in baseball, having led baseball in home runs (54) and RBI (139) in 2023. This year, he's hitting just .220 with seven homers and 26 RBI. He also has a .316 on-base percentage.

As for Teixeira, who Olson tied on this list, he spent 14 years in the big leagues with the Rangers, Braves, Angels and Yankees. Hit 409 career homers.

The Braves will take on the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET

Atlanta is 29-20 on the season while Pittsburgh is 25-28.

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Brady Farkas

BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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