Matt Olson surging for Oakland A’s at right time
The Oakland A’s have generated numerous stories over the past week or so. They have won eight in a row, Jed Lowrie has turned back the clock, and the starting rotation is beginning to round into form. Lou Trivino has settled in as the A’s closer. With all those positives, it is easy to see how Matt Olson could be overlooked.
Olson had generated a bit of attention before the start of the season. He was projected to tie Mike Trout as the AL home run leader for the 2021 season. As his power had remained intact despite his struggles last year, that seemed to be a reasonable proposition.
Matt Olson heating up for Oakland A’s
Despite a stellar spring training, Olson was ice cold at the start of the season. He had four hits in his first 25 plate appearances, striking out eight times, as the A’s lost each of their first six games. While it was fair to imagine that Oakland would get back on track, they needed Olson to get going in order for that to happen.
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His last seven games have been a different story. Olson has heated up at the plate just as the A’s started to warm up themselves. He has notched nine hits in his 29 plate appearances since, belting three homers while driving in seven runs. He has even improved his contact rate, striking out just three times.
Obviously, both Olson’s slow start and recent hot streak are a matter of small sample sizes. There is no guarantee that either will mean anything in the long run. In fact, the happy medium – his current .289/.389/.533 batting line – may even be above what he produces this season. But the A’s are certainly going to take this streak for as long as it lasts.
For Olson, this streak shows why he had such relatively high expectations heading into the season. His home run totals may not be where one would expect, but he is certainly capable of hitting those in bunches. If that happens, and the A’s continue their winning ways, he may find himself as part of the All Star Game and possibly in MVP discussions.
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Matt Olson is starting to heat up for the Oakland A’s. As the A’s look to continue their hot streak, they need Olson to do the same.