Olson’s arrival in Atlanta coincides with a franchise hero’s exit.
Braves Franchise History
1954: Hank Aaron makes his first spring training start for the Milwaukee Braves in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox. Aaron, taking advantage of an injury suffered by starting outfielder Bobby Thomson, raps out three hits, including a home run. The noise of the contact is so loud that Ted Williams runs out of the Boston clubhouse to see who can make that sound with a bat. Aaron will eventually start for the Braves on Opening Day and will go on to hit a respectable .280 with 13 home runs and 58 RBI in his rookie season.
2022: In a clear sign that they have given up on the possibility of re-signing team icon Freddie Freeman, who is currently a free agent, the Atlanta Braves trade four players to the Athletics to acquire All-Star 1B Matt Olson. The most recognizable name going the other way is OF Cristian Pache.
MLB History
1995: The Players Association announces that it will not settle the strike if replacement players are used in regular season games, and if results are not voided.
2003: Milwaukee Brewers TV/Radio play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker is named the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting. The 68-year-old former back-up catcher, who joined the Milwaukee broadcast crew in 1971, is best known for the humor he has brought to the game through his starring role in the cult movie Major League and the beer commercial in which the phrase Must be in the front row! has become a familiar cry in ballparks around the country.
2018: Minor League Baseball announces some changes to the rules that will be used throughout the minor leagues starting this season. First, there will be a limit of six mound visits per game in AAA, similar to the rule change just introduced in Major League Baseball; lower classifications will allow more visits: eight in AA and ten in Class A. A 15-second pitch clock will be introduced with the bases empty, and 20 seconds with men on base. Finally, a variation of the Schiller Rule will be used beginning in the 10th inning, as each half inning will start with the batter preceding the first batter of the inning already on second base. That last rule was already in use in some Rookie-class leagues.
2019: Commissioner Rob Manfred announces rule changes for the coming season. While the idea of a pitch clock has been dropped for the time being, other measures adopted include: lowering the number of mound visits from six to five, following the successful introduction of the rule in 2018; a shorter break between innings; making the July 31st trading deadline a hard one, with no trades allowed for the two remaining months of the season; a shift in procedure for nominating starters in the All-Star Game and additional bonuses for participants in the Home Run Derby; beginning next season, a clear roster limit, with 26 during the first five months and 28 for September, with all teams being required to respect the limits; and a minimum of three batters faced for relief pitchers, barring injury or the end of the half-inning, also starting with the 2020 season.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.