The Atlanta Braves put together another strong MLB regular season in 2026, finishing 94-68 and winning the National League East title. While the Braves had championship aspirations, their season came to an unfortunate end in the NLDS, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games.
Atlanta’s offense opened the year strong, but dealt with inconsistency over the second half of the season. First baseman Matt Olson remained one of the most dependable players on the team throughout the year. Olson played in all 162 games for the fifth season in a row, and finished the year batting .251 with a .321 on-base percentage and a .502 slugging percentage.
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Olson also continued to provide excellent power this season, hitting 41 home runs, tied for 6th in MLB, alongside 93 RBIs. As usual for Olson, his value extended well beyond his abilities at the plate.
Olson was one of the premier defenders in baseball this season, and his success in the field has added another award to an already decorated defensive résumé.
The Braves announced Thursday that Olson has won his sixth career Fielding Bible Award, his third straight after winning in 2024 and 2025.
His sixth career Fielding Bible Award moves him past Albert Pujols for the most all-time by a first baseman.
During the 2026 season, Olson had a .994 fielding percentage over 1311 total defensive chances, committing only eight errors. According to Baseball Savant, Olson also recorded 12 outs above average, approximately the 97th percentile.
Since joining the Braves in 2022, he has not missed a single game. The 32-year-old is a four-time All-Star and has earned Gold Glove honors three times.
For the Braves, Olson’s combination of availability, power and defense has made him one of the greatest first basemen of his generation and perhaps their most dependable piece on the roster.
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