Fantasy baseball first basemen #4: Matt Olson
Matt Olson’s first season in Atlanta was a smashing success. The lefty hit .240/.325/.477/.802, good for a 122 OPS+. He crushed 34 homers, 44 doubles, drove in 103 runs, and scored 86. As I’ve said in other rankings, availability is the best ability, and that absolutely fits Olson. He has either led the league or tied for the league lead in games played three times: in 2018 and 2022, with 162 games, and in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Since 2018, the only year he hasn’t played a full season was 2019, when he missed about 35 games. Yes, the strikeouts can be problematic, but if you value someone who will likely play a full year, you can reach for him.
Fantasy baseball first basemen #3: Pete Alonso
Polar Bear Pete was one of the best sluggers in baseball in 2022. The righty hit .271/.352/.518/.869, good for an OPS+ of 146. He mashed 40 homers, 27 doubles, drove in an MLB-best 131 runs, and scored 95. Alonso will have essentially the same lineup around him in 2023, so expect more of the same from this elite slugger. He’s cut down on strikeouts a lot since his rookie season, and he’s been working on increasing contact and walks, which can only raise his value.