“I’m Not Freddie — And I Don’t Need to Be”: Matt Olson’s Emotional Letter to Braves Fans Addresses Freeman Comparisons Head-On.vc
In a heartfelt message, the Braves’ star first baseman opens up about the “immense pressure” of replacing a franchise icon and his journey to finding his own identity in Atlanta.
ATLANTA — Since the moment he was traded to his hometown Atlanta Braves in March 2022, Matt Olson has carried an almost impossible burden: replacing a living legend.
When Freddie Freeman, the long-time face of the franchise and 2021 World Series hero, left for Los Angeles, many in baseball believed he was “irreplaceable.” Olson, the quiet, power-hitting first baseman from just down the road, was tasked with stepping into that shadow.
Now, in a heartfelt and candid letter to Braves fans, Olson has addressed that immense pressure head-on.
In a message titled, “I’m Not Freddie — And I Don’t Need to Be,” the Braves star opens up about the psychological weight of succeeding a beloved icon and his journey to finding his own worth.
“When Freddie Freeman left Atlanta, many believed he was irreplaceable. But Matt Olson never tried to replace him,” the letter begins. Olson explains that his goal was never to erase Freeman’s legacy, but rather to begin his own.
Addressing the “Shadow”
In the letter, Olson speaks with surprising candor about his first seasons in Atlanta, including his record-breaking 54-home run campaign in 2023.
“I heard it. I felt it,” Olson wrote, referencing the constant comparisons. “How could you not? Freddie is a future Hall of Famer who brought a title to this city. I was a fan of his, too. But it felt like every time I stepped into the box, I wasn’t just facing the pitcher; I was facing a shadow.”
He continued, “I pressed. I thought if I just hit more homers, or drove in more runs, maybe I’d stop being ‘the guy replacing Freddie’ and just be ‘Matt’.”
Finding His Own Worth
The turning point, Olson explained, was the realization that he didn’t have to win a “contest of comparisons.” He just had to be the player the Braves traded for.
“I’m not Freddie. I don’t have his signature opposite-field swing or his public-facing smile,” Olson continued. “I’m Matt. I have my own power. I have my own way of playing defense. I realized trying to be someone else was an injustice to Freddie’s legacy, to you, and to me.”
He concluded the letter with a new promise: not to be the next Freddie Freeman, but to be the first and only Matt Olson for the Braves.
“I can’t replace your hero. Nobody can,” he wrote. “But I can be a champion for you. I can be a leader in my own way. I can be a core part of Atlanta’s next generation of winning. I’m here to build my own path, and I’m proud to do it in this jersey… I found my own worth not by trying to fill someone’s shoes, but by planting my own two feet.”
The letter immediately resonated with Braves fans, who flooded social media with praise for Olson’s honesty and respect. It has served to cement his own legacy, one built not on replacing a legend, but on becoming one himself.
