Tag: Matt Olson

Braves manager Brian Snitker was speechless when reporters told him about the Matt Olson trade

He knew it meant Freddie Freeman was gone.

Braves manager Brian Snitker knew that there was a possibility that Freddie Freeman would leave Atlanta. After all, Freeman was a free agent. That’s how it works. But he probably didn’t expect for the Braves to make a move that paved way for Freeman’s departure.

We could see that surprise on Monday.

The Braves and Oakland Athletics agreed on a blockbuster trade that sent All-Star first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta for a package of top prospects like Cristian Pache and Shea Langeliers. The trade almost certainly meant that Freeman was going to sign elsewhere, but what a time for Snitker to hear about the news.

The Braves manager found out about the trade while he was speaking with reporters who read off Jeff Passan’s tweet in realtime.

Braves gave up on re-signing Freddie Freeman with trade for Matt Olson and MLB fans were shocked

End of an era for the Braves.

From the moment the Atlanta Braves won their first World Series title since 1995, the focus shifted to re-signing first baseman Freddie Freeman. The five-time All-Star had spent his entire career in Atlanta, stuck through a rebuilding period and emerged as a World Series champion. He was the face of the franchise, and many around baseball expected him to stay in Atlanta.

That likely isn’t going to happen now, and shockingly, the Braves made the move to pave way for Freeman’s exit.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Braves and the Athletics agreed on a blockbuster trade to send All-Star first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta for a package that included three of the Braves’ top 10 prospects.

Freeman had reportedly received offers from the Dodgers and Yankees, and with this trade, it signals that the Braves didn’t think they were going to compete with the offers Freeman had out there. The trade for Olson — an Atlanta native who turns 28 in two weeks — also provided some cover for Freeman to leave Atlanta without facing backlash from fans. It makes it look like the Braves made the decision for Freeman instead of Freeman leaving on his own.

But wow, what a trade. No wonder baseball fans were shocked.