ATLANTA (AP) — Baseball’s current consecutive games leader delivered when it mattered most on Lou Gehrig Day, powering the Atlanta Braves to victory.
Matt Olson celebrated his 844th straight game appearance with a decisive home run in the sixth inning, leading the Braves to a 4-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The first baseman’s high-flying blast — his 17th home run this season — benefited from strong winds pushing toward the right-field area. The power hitter believed he had mishit the ball, but it continued carrying through the air until it barely made it over the high brick barrier.
“I did not” think it was a homer, Olson said. “Luckily, we had some wind blowing out that way.”
The performance was fitting on a day when Major League Baseball honored the 85th anniversary of Gehrig’s premature passing from ALS at age 37 — an illness forever associated with the Iron Horse that ended his then-record consecutive game streak of 2,130.
Olson, who also hit a double and scored the run that put Atlanta ahead 3-2 in the third inning, has appeared in every contest since May 2, 2021 — the current longest streak in professional baseball.
“We’ve talked about the streak,” he said. “It’s not something I’m hanging up on a pedestal. But to be able to show up and play while I’m able to, I want to.”
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss commended Olson’s consistency and said there’s no better comparison than to Gehrig himself.
“Lou Gehrig was one of my all-time heroes,” Weiss said. “I made all four of my sons do their fifth-grade book report on Lou Gehrig. That was mandatory in our house. What a legacy he left behind. And you’ve got our iron man hitting the game-winning homer on Lou Gehrig Day, so very appropriate.”
The Braves obtained Olson through a major trade with the Athletics before the 2022 season after failing to reach a contract agreement with their previous longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Replacing such a beloved player created enormous expectations, but Olson has delivered impressive results since arriving in Atlanta. He established a team record with 54 home runs in 2023, and is tracking toward another strong campaign for the squad with baseball’s top record at 41-20.
“He’s rock-solid in every way,” Weiss said. “He’s so reliable.”
Olson explained his straightforward philosophy for wanting to play continuously rather than taking occasional rest days.
“I just don’t like sitting,” the 32-year-old said with a smile. “I’ve had days off in the past and, man, it sucks sitting there and watching everybody else play. Sure, you’re tired sometimes. But I just think you have a commitment to your teammates and the fans and yourself and the organization. If you can go, you should go.”
His current streak represents the longest in professional baseball since Miguel Tejada’s 1,152 consecutive games from 2000-07. Gehrig’s original mark was eventually surpassed by Cal Ripken Jr., who appeared in 2,632 straight games during his Hall of Fame tenure with the Baltimore Orioles.
Similar to his manager Weiss, Olson values Gehrig’s impact on America’s pastime and particularly his role in raising awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative neurological condition with no known treatment.
“I know people from my area who’ve been affected by it,” Olson said. “A brutal disease. Every time we get a chance to bring some awareness to it and do something to help people who are really affected by it, we’re all for it.”
