Matt Olson is looking for Home Run Derby redemption.
Ronald Acuña Jr., as the face of the Atlanta Braves, deserved the chance to launch home runs into the Cobb County night on Monday. Two major knee injuries have ripped the Braves' best player off the field, but he's returned with a fervor in 2025, rampaging his way to the Home Run Derby.
Unfortunately, baseball is not a just sport. It can be cruel and untimely, harsh and unforgiving. Sometimes, it's downright mean. On Tuesday, Acuña was scratched from the lineup with back tightness. He played in each of the next two games, going 2-for-9 with a walk, but precaution will take precedence.
Acuña backed out of the Home Run Derby on Friday. His teammate, first baseman Matt Olson, is replacing him.
Acuña out, Olson in
Fortunately, the Atlanta faithful don't need to be concerned, only disappointed. Acuña will start Tuesday's All-Star Game, allowing him to be celebrated by the fanbase on a national stage.
Olson, meanwhile, is an ample replacement for Acuña in the Derby. He has hit 19 home runs compared to his co-star's 11, and he's rebounding nicely after a down 2024. Slashing .267/.368/.481 for a 137 wRC+, Olson made his third All-Star team in 2025.
Making the moment even more meaningful is Olson's ties to the city. He grew up less than an hour away from Truist Park in Lilburn, Georgia. He's been making plays in front of his hometown fans over the last four seasons. Now, he'll get to put on a show.
“It’s one of those full-circle things for sure,” Olson said, via Mark Bowman. “It’s always special, but being [an All-Star] in the city where you grew up hoping you could maybe one day do that, being there will be special.”
Olson isn't the only participant with ties to the region. Byron Buxton is a Georgia native, and both Cal Raleigh and Brent Rooker have family in the surrounding states, making travel easier.
MORE: Mariners' Bryan Woo nearly threw no-hitter vs. Yankees by spamming one pitch
It won't be Olson's first time in the Derby, either. He was a first-round exit in 2021, but his 23-homer performance stood out as one of the most impressive showings of the evening.
"I mean, I want to win," he said after losing to Trey Mancini. "It can be competitive, for sure. Sometimes too competitive. But it's all for fun. We're putting on a show. Mancini had a great round and he's a great dude. ... To be able to battle what he's battled and come back and perform the way he's performed this year, it says a lot about him and his grit and toughness, and I'm happy he was able to work through the situation and get back on the field and do well."
After his Derby debut, Olson said he would consider trying again in the future. That future has arrived, albeit in unideal circumstances, but he's taking full advantage.
With a powerful left-handed swing, he'll join Oneil Cruz, James Wood, Jazz Chisholm, and (probably) Raleigh as lefties prepared to pepper the Chop House in right field. His 93.8 mph average exit velocity helps him fit in with a strong field of contestants, and his 54-homer 2023 campaign is the most by any 2025 participant for a single season.
MORE MLB NEWS
Category: Baseball
