Matt Olson Crushes 450-Foot Home Run as Braves Top Mets — Video, Stats & Fan Reactions

ATLANTA — Braves slugger Matt Olson is headed home for the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, stepping in for teammate Ronald Acuña Jr., who withdrew with lingering lower-back tightness two days before the event. The Parkview High School alum will represent Atlanta in front of a sell-out crowd at Truist Park on Monday night, completing an eight-man field that already features Cal Raleigh, James Wood and Byron Buxton. Olson becomes the first Braves first-baseman to compete since Freddie Freeman in 2018. Why Olson makes sense • Power surge: The 31-year-old leads Atlanta with 17 homers and a .523 slugging percentage at the break, mirroring the franchise-record 54 he launched in 2023. • Pull-side perfection: Olson’s average home-run distance this season (412 feet) ranks fifth among NL qualifiers, a profile built for the short right-field porch at Truist. • Hometown storyline: The Lilburn native attended the Derby as a fan in 2000 and now becomes the local headliner. Impact on Braves Acuña’s decision to rest should not affect his All-Star starting assignment in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic, but the Braves gain marketing gold with Olson’s inclusion. Atlanta owns MLB’s top attendance pace for 2025 and expects a Derby-week economic jolt estimated at $80 million by the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Format and odds The Derby remains a three-round, bracketed competition with three-minute timed halves and a 30-second bonus. Caesars Sportsbook installed Olson at +700, behind favorite Cal Raleigh (+350), citing Olson’s “line-drive trajectory” as a mild concern. Player reaction “I grew up dreaming of this exact moment,” Olson said after Friday’s workout. “Getting to wear that Braves ‘A’ and try to hit some balls onto the Chop House is going to be surreal.” Manager Brian Snitker endorsed the decision, noting that Olson’s “smooth, repeatable swing won’t need to change for one night.” What to watch • Launch-angle tweak: Olson’s 18.5-degree average LA is nearly identical to 2023, when he paced MLB in barrel rate. Expect loft without overswinging. • Derby bracket reveal airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. • Local weather projects a steamy 86 °F first-pitch temperature—ball-flight friendly for left-handed sluggers. Bottom line With Ronald Acuña Jr. sidelined, the Braves still keep star power in the spotlight. Matt Olson’s combination of elite pop, hometown roots and big-stage experience positions him as both sentimental favorite and genuine threat to capture the 2025 Home Run Derby crown.