Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves have encountered difficulties maintaining a winning edge this season, even with the return of essential players Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider from injury. Both players had been recovering from season-ending injuries in 2024 but are still regaining their form compared to teammates who have played all season.
As of Saturday, the Braves hold a 26-30 record, placing them fourth in the National League East. The team has repeatedly failed to capitalize in crucial moments, dropping six of their last nine contests by margins of two runs or fewer. Despite these setbacks, Olson remains hopeful about the team’s potential turnaround.
“I still think we’re right on the edge of turning this thing around and playing the baseball we can play,” said Olson.
With a significant portion of the season remaining, Atlanta has ample time to improve its standing. Nonetheless, the Braves must develop finishing strategies to secure wins in tightly contested games that have slipped away.
“We’ve played a lot of tight games here lately, and not come through on a good bit of them, and don’t feel like we’re clicking at all,” he added.
Olson Focuses on the Team’s Competitive Spirit Amid Struggles
Despite the lack of consistent success in close matchups, Olson finds a silver lining in the team’s ability to keep games competitive. He views the pattern of tight contests as an indicator that the Braves are not far from regaining their rhythm.
“I feel like you can spin it two different ways. You can say we can’t win the tight game, or you can look at it and say we’re not playing really great baseball for us, and we’re still in a lot of ballgames,” he added.
Braves’ Offense Needs More Production to Fuel a Comeback
The Atlanta offense has struggled to reach its full potential this year, ranking outside the top twelve in every major offensive category. Matt Olson stands out as the only player with more than ten home runs, tallying 12 so far, while key hitters such as Austin Riley, Marcell Ozuna, and Sean Murphy have yet to hit double-digit homers.
Looking ahead, the Braves face a tough stretch of games in June, with challenging series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, and two matchups versus the New York Mets. This schedule offers little respite as they attempt to regain footing in the division.