The Atlanta Braves and the Oakland A’s have reportedly come to terms on a deal that sends first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta and likely closes the door on Freddie Freeman’s return to the franchise.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Oakland will receive outfielder Cristian Pache, catcher Shea Langeliers, and starting pitchers Ryan Cusick and Joey Estes in exchange for Olson. According to MLB.com, Pache and Langeliers were the top two prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization (and could be MLB-ready this season) while Cusick was ranked sixth and Estes was tabbed at 14.
My heart is broken. I just found out that I was traded to the A's. I know that's the way this business works, but I want Braves fans to know that I will be eternally grateful to him wherever he goes. Thank you for so much support, for so much love and for being so special to me.
— Cristian Pache (@cristianpache25) March 14, 2022
So what does the Matt Olson deal mean for the Atlanta Braves and the future of Freddie Freeman with the organization?
With Olson coming to Atlanta, the Braves now have a slugging first baseman (39 home runs last season) and two years of team control with Olson as well. The trade likely signals that the Braves are moving on from Freeman, with the two sides never being able to come to an agreement and causing frustration for both sides throughout the offseason.
Freeman, one of the key components for the Atlanta organization since his debut with the Braves on September 1, 2010, after being selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2007 MLB draft, will likely head to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he has been rumored to land for some time now once talks with the Braves started going sideways.
Coming off a World Series win back in November, the Braves will now have a different look for the franchise at first base, a position where Freeman has ruled since taking over full-time in 2011.
It’s a big payout for the Braves in terms of prospects, but Atlanta has seen what the New York Mets have done this offseason and likely realized that Olson was going to be the logical, cost-effective answer to their first base conundrum for some time.
Olson leaving is also another piece of the Oakland franchise to be traded off this offseason, with starting pitcher Chris Bassitt going to the Mets in a deal over the weekend.
While Braves fans will likely see Freeman depart, Olson’s arrival in Atlanta ensures the Braves don’t lose much at all at first base and will be ready to defend their World Series title.
A Freddie Freeman-Matt Olson comp is interesting, in part because the former is viewed by many fans as being the better of the two. Here is a snapshot of last year’s numbers:
— David Laurila (@DavidLaurilaQA) March 14, 2022
Freeman: 31 HR, .379 wOBA, 135 wRC+, 4.5 WAR.
Olson: 39 HR, .379 wOBA, 146 wRC+, 5-0 WAR.