The Atlanta Braves are coming off a series win after taking two straight from the Los Angeles Angels. They’re now 8-5 on the season, and Matt Olson is a big reason why.
In the series finale, Olson went 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and one walk.
For the season, he’s slashing .280/.368/.580 with three homers, eight RBI, seven walks, 14 hits and six doubles.
The stat sheet is definitely moving in the right direction for the Braves’ first baseman, but one stat in particular could have him becoming a part of MLB history.
Matt Olson Closing In on MLB Consecutive Games History
One thing Olson has become known for in his 11th MLB season is reliability. No matter what game you attend, there’s a good chance Olson is in the lineup.
Olson is now on the cusp of reaching MLB history, according to Sarah Langs.
“Matt Olson played his 795th consecutive game today, dating to 5/2/21. He’s 4 games from sole possession of the 11th-longest streak in MLB history,” Langs said.
Here’s the list of players with the longest consecutive games streaks in MLB history:
- 1982–98 Cal Ripken Jr.: 2,632
- 1925–39 Lou Gehrig: 2,130
- 1916–25 Everett Scott: 1,307
- 1975–83 Steve Garvey: 1,207
- 2000–07 Miguel Tejada: 1,152
- 1963–70 Billy Williams: 1,117
- 1922–30 Joe Sewell: 1,103
- 1952–57 Stan Musial: 895
- 1949–55 Eddie Yost: 829
- 1931–37 Gus Suhr: 822
- 1955–60 Nellie Fox: 798
- 2021–present Matt Olson: 795 (active)
The streak began on May 2, 2021, during his final season with the Oakland Athletics. He was traded to the Braves the following year, where he has now spent the last five seasons.
Olson hasn’t missed a single game during that span, including all 13 games to begin the 2026 season. In total, he has played a full 162-game season five times in his career, not including the COVID-shortened 60-game season. Overall, he has appeared in 1,235 career games.
If he stays healthy and Braves manager Walt Weiss continues to pencil him into the lineup every day, Olson will soon surpass Nellie Fox for sole possession of 11th place. From there, Eddie Yost and Stan Musial are within striking distance.
To move into the top eight and pass Musial, Olson would need roughly 100 more consecutive games — a mark that is well within reach this season if his durability continues.
Braves Return Home With Momentum, Tough Matchups Ahead
Olson and the Braves now head back home but won’t begin play again until April 10. They’ll get their first off day of the season on April 9 after opening the year with 13 straight games.
That brief break could be valuable as Atlanta prepares for a challenging stretch.
They’ll open their next homestand with a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians, who currently sit atop the AL Central with an 8-5 record.
Following that, the Braves will host their first National League East opponent of the season when the Miami Marlins come to town. The Marlins are tied for second in the division at 7-5 alongside the New York Mets.
With Olson heating up and on the verge of making history, the Braves will look to carry that momentum into a crucial early stretch of the season — one that could begin to shape the outlook of the NL East race.
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