Braves Acquire Matt Olson from A's; Futures Odds Adjusted
UPDATE: Not only is the deal official, but the Braves signed Olson to a new 8-year, $168-million deal.
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1503778615611305989
The Atlanta Braves have reportedly acquired first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland Athletics Monday, March 14, ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted.
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1503432838611456001
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1503434469881090053
Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR here.
Olson is coming off the best season of his career with 101 runs, 39 home runs, 111 RBI, and a .271/.371/.540 slash line. He also appeared in his first All-Star Game and finished eighth in American League MVP voting.
The 27-year-old first baseman also has two Gold Gloves on his resume, so the defending-champion Braves certainly added an impact player Monday.
RELATED: Fernando Tatis Jr. Out Long Term; MVP Odds Move
Of course, adding Olson signals that first baseman Freddie Freeman won’t be back with the Braves.
After 12 years with Atlanta, Freeman declined an $18.4 million qualifying offer from the organization in the fall.
The 31-year-old first baseman won the 2020 National League MVP and was a key contributor to Atlanta winning the 2021 World Series.
Freeman also won a Gold Glove in 2018, and he’s gone to the All-Star Game five times.
Freeman’s durability is also a huge asset, as he’s only missed seven games over the past four years. He has a high-end .306/.398/.532 slash line during that stretch and has topped 30 home runs in each of the past two full seasons.
RELATED: MLB Free Agent Tracker: Impactful Player Movement with Odds Significance
So, while Olson brings a lot to the table, he won’t necessarily bring a significant boost in production over Freeman.
Additionally, Atlanta does lose considerable prospect depth, with outfielder Cristian Pache and catcher Shea Langeliers the top two prospects in the organization.
Whereas starting pitchers Ryan Cusick and Joey Estes are promising righties projected to start the 2022 season at the Single-A level.
Cusick was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft, and Estes was picked in the 16th round in the 2019 MLB Draft.
Here are Atlanta’s updated World Series odds compared to their March 1 number. Both DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook have lowered their numbers, whereas Caesars Sportsbook still has +1300 hanging and hasn’t changed their line.
Braves World Series Odds: March 1 vs. Current
DraftKings Sportsbook: +1400 to +1200
FanDuel Sportsbook: +1400 to +1300
RELATED: Twins Trade Josh Donaldson to Yankees in Blockbuster Deal
Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.
