Matt Olson Just Broke a Braves Iron Man Record That Dates Back to the 1970s

The Atlanta Braves are dragging through a rough patch right now. Since June started, they’ve gone 14-18, and both the Phillies and Marlins have used that stumble to close the gap in the division. It’s not panic time yet, but it’s getting close.

But Friday gave them something worth celebrating. Matt Olson played in his 741st straight game, which is a new franchise record for Atlanta. The previous mark belonged to Dale Murphy, who held it since the early 1980s. Murphy played 740 in a row from 1981 to 1985. Olson just erased him from the books.

Here’s the thing about Olson’s streak. He hasn’t missed a single MLB game since May 1, 2021. That’s over five years. If you count his total consecutive games played across both Oakland and Atlanta, he’s at 875 straight. That’s the ninth-longest streak in big league history. He needs 21 more games to pass Stan Musial, who played 895 in a row from 1952 to 1957.

The Freeman trade looks better every year

Olson came to Atlanta in a 2022 trade that sent catching prospect Shea Langeliers, outfielder Cristian Pache, and two pitching prospects to the Athletics. The move was basically the Braves’ way of replacing Freddie Freeman after he left for the Dodgers following the 2021 World Series win. Freeman didn’t want to go, but the Braves had to move on.

And they nailed it. Olson has been exactly what they needed. He hits for power, plays elite defense at first base, and apparently never gets hurt. Meanwhile, that trade package? Langeliers is the only piece still producing for Oakland. Pache is gone. Cusick is gone. Estes has a career 5.59 ERA across parts of four seasons. The Braves won that deal by a mile.

Can he catch Cal Ripken Jr.?

No. Probably not. Ripken’s 2,632 straight games is the Mount Rushmore of durability records. Olson would have to play every single game for roughly another 11 full seasons to get there. That’s not happening. But he doesn’t need to break Ripken’s record to be remembered as one of the toughest guys in the game. He’s already in rare company.

What’s wild is that Olson doesn’t even talk about the streak much. He just shows up. Day after day. That’s the kind of thing that impresses teammates and old-school guys like Ripken, who built his whole career on that same mentality.

The Braves have bigger problems right now. Their bullpen is shaky. The offense goes cold for stretches. But at least they’ve got a first baseman who never takes a day off.