NORTH PORT, Fla. – Sunday afternoon felt like 2023 at Braves camp.
Sluggers Austin Riley and Matt Olson launched back-to-back home runs off Yankees starter Marcus Stroman in the first inning of an exhibition game. Spring training results are notoriously of little value, but that shouldn’t deter excitement around thunderous swings from two of the Braves’ lineup pillars.
It was Riley’s first homer in 11 at-bats. It was Olson’s second long ball in as many opportunities. And while both players had productive 2024 seasons, they’re also both seeking bounce backs.
For Riley, it’s about health. He was limited to 110 games last season after a hand fracture prematurely ended his campaign (it was the first time since the truncated 2020 season that Riley didn’t appear in at least 159 games). He struggled earlier in the season before his injury, though he’d started regaining form in the mid-summer months. Overall, he slashed .256/.322/.461 with 19 homers. Riley hit .286/.354/.525 while averaging 36 homers across the three prior seasons.
Olson, meanwhile, suffered a drop off from his historic 2023 production. While he again played in all 162 games, his homer total dipped from 54 to 29. His RBIs – a stat that’s obviously not indicative of just him – went from 139 to 98. His slash line in 2023: .283/.389/.604. In 2024: .247/.333/.457. He was still a good player, but Olson certainly holds himself to a higher standard.
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