Anthony Rizzo Was Braves' 2022 First-Base Plan Before Matt Olson
The Braves tried to sign anthony rizzo in March 2022 after they believed they were out on Freddie Freeman, but the move never got close. They wanted a one-year deal, turned down the two-year, $32 million Yankees structure with an opt-out, and then pivoted to Matt Olson.
Rizzo And The Braves
That pursuit sat at the center of Atlanta’s first-base search in the 2022 post-lockout scramble. The Braves had lost momentum on Freeman, and Rizzo became the next target before the market moved them elsewhere.
The gap in contract appetite mattered. New York gave Rizzo two years and $32 million with an opt-out after the first year, while Atlanta preferred to keep the commitment to one year. The sides never got close enough to bridge that difference.
Olson Replaced The Search
After the Rizzo talks stalled, the Braves traded for Olson from the then-Oakland Athletics and sent a package of four prospects. Shea Langeliers was the only player in that group who became a player of consequence, and Atlanta had its first baseman in place before the rest of the market settled.
Olson then signed an eight-year, $168 million extension the day after joining the Braves, and he has not missed a game since. His run has reached 826 consecutive games, the majors’ second longest since 2000.
Freeman And The Aftermath
Freeman ultimately landed with the Dodgers on a six-year, $162 million contract with more than 35 percent deferred. He later hit a walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series and won the World Series MVP award.
The Braves’ chase of Rizzo shows how wide their first-base search really was before Olson arrived. What looked like a clean handoff to the eventual trade was actually a series of short, hard pivots, and Atlanta’s final choice has held up far better than the one-year path it first preferred.
