Olson is the best club in the world 49th, 50th home runs; 1 shy of Jones’ Braves mark
PHILADELPHIA — Matt Olson was raised an Atlanta Braves fan and appreciated the significance of the stars he passed on the way up the franchise’s single-season home run list. Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews were among those sluggers left behind as Olson crushed one homer after another in a career campaign for the best team in baseball.
With home run Nos. 49 and 50 on Monday against the Phillies — the first one launched off the second deck and the second sliced the opposite way to left field — Olson entered rarified air among Atlanta’s greats.
Now, only Andruw Jones has more homers in a season with 51 in 2005. Olson’s Atlanta record seems a mere formality, as does another National League East crown for the Braves.