​ST. LOUIS — Matt Olson, the Atlanta Braves’ first baseman, etched his name into franchise history Friday night by appearing in his 741st consecutive game for Atlanta, surpassing Dale Murphy’s 740-game streak that stood from 1981 to 1986. Olson joined the Braves as a free agent before the 2022 season after parts of six seasons with the Oakland Athletics. Since arriving in Atlanta, Olson has started 740 of his 741 Braves appearances, with the lone exception coming on September 24, 2022 in Philadelphia, when he entered as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the eighth inning.
“This is quite an accomplishment,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “This is a tough league. We play almost every day, so to achieve something like that is mind-boggling, really. The Cal Ripken Jr. comparison is in a different universe, but what Matt Olson is doing is really, really impressive.”
Olson has now appeared in 875 consecutive games across his career, ranking as the ninth-longest streak in major league history. He trails Stan Musial’s 895-game run with the Cardinals from 1952 to 1957 by 20 games. Cal Ripken Jr. famously played in 2,632 straight games for Baltimore from May 1982 through September 1998.
For Olson, the last time he sat out a game was May 1, 2021, when he missed three games with Oakland after sustaining a left eye contusion during batting practice on April 29. The current milestone underscores Olson’s durability and reliability at the plate and in the field, marking him as one of the most consistent players in the Braves’ modern era. As Atlanta looks to capitalize on his steady presence, Olson’s streak stands as a testament to his resilience, consistency, and the demanding nature of daily MLB competition.