ATLANTA, GA – When Freddie Freeman left the Atlanta Braves after the 2021 season, fans were heartbroken. The face of the franchise, a 2020 NL MVP, and a World Series hero, gone to the Dodgers. Most assumed Atlanta would take a step back. Instead, they took two steps forward—and may have built a dynasty in disguise.
Freeman was replaced by Matt Olson, who was quietly one of the league’s top power hitters in Oakland. But in Atlanta’s hitter-friendly park and deep lineup, Olson exploded. In 2023, he led the National League with 54 home runs and 139 RBIs, breaking Andruw Jones’s single-season franchise home run record. His glove at first base? Gold Glove-caliber.
Meanwhile, the Braves locked up their young core—Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Spencer Strider—to long-term deals. That continuity is paying off. In 2023, Acuña made history by becoming the first player ever with 40+ home runs and 70+ stolen bases in one season, and Strider led the majors in strikeouts.
Letting go of Freeman looked like a mistake. But thanks to brilliant roster-building by GM Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves didn’t just survive—they’ve thrived, and now look like serious contenders for multiple championships over the next five years.
