The Braves Lock Up Matt Olson for 8 Years and $168 Million After Having Him Less Than 24 Hours

If you would have told me on Sunday the Atlanta Braves would sign their first baseman to an eight-year extension today, I would have been thoroughly confused, given Atlanta's lack of willingness to give Freddie Freeman even a sixth year in a deal. Turns out the eight-year contract is for Matt Olson, having not even been a Brave for 24 hours.

I absolutely love this move. Alex Anthopoulos knew who he wanted to replace Freeman, went out and got him and locked him up for the rest of the decade at pretty great value. That's how you do it.

I think this goes a long way in terms of public opinion in Braves Country, too. We're not going to be doing what we just did with Freddie again in two years. Olson is here and he's going to be launching dingers alongside Ronald Acuña and Austin Riley likely through 2030.

You get a younger first baseman of relatively equal production — or even better, as he was last year — to Freeman for two more years and still less money. Anthopoulos has done it again, folks.

It sucks to see Freddie go, but this is why you do it. Atlanta's lineup is going to remain loaded for a long time.