Atlanta native Olson excited to show off hometown during All-Star festivities

Matt Olson is living the dreams he had while growing up in suburban Atlanta. The Braves first baseman attended Parkview High School in nearby Lilburn, Ga., and was drafted by the A’s in the first round of the 2012 Draft. He was acquired by his hometown team before the start of the ’22 season.

Olson, who was a late replacement for teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. in the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby tonight (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), earned his first All-Star selection in the American League in 2021, then made his NL All-Star debut in ‘23. He recently took time to discuss the excitement surrounding Atlanta’s first All-Star Game since the one he attended as a six-year-old at Turner Field in 2000.

How cool will it be to see the All-Star Game unfold at Truist Park?

Matt Olson: It will be awesome. This is always a special time of year. I think everyone in Atlanta will take pride in seeing the All-Star Game played in their home park. That just adds to the experience.

What do you remember about the 2000 All-Star Game?

MO: I was six, but I remember going to the Home Run Derby and seeing [Sammy] Sosa and Ken Griffey Jr. put on a show. It had a little different baseball feel to it. I’ve always heard it was one of the best Derbies. I wish I had been older, so I could have appreciated it more. But I definitely remember being there and feeling the excitement.

Why is Atlanta a great spot for big events like the All-Star Game?

MO: The cool part about Atlanta is that there’s a bunch of different pockets to it. You can be downtown, in Midtown, Buckhead, or by The Battery. It’s not all crowded in one downtown spot. You can kind of breathe a little bit as a fan, and go do different things in different areas.

What do you remember most about your first All-Star Game experience as a player?

MO: We were at Coors Field in 2021. It’s just one of those things that you know you want to experience as a baseball player. You grow up watching the All-Star Game and you always wonder what goes on at these events. It’s great to be in the clubhouse with guys you haven’t played with before. You can talk to them, see how they prepare for games, and then watch them play. You also want to go out there and do the best that you can. Every All-Star Game experience is awesome. But the best part is just being able to be around the best of the best.

What will this year’s All-Stars think about Truist Park?

MO: When you talk to a lot of guys around the league, this is one of their favorite places to come play on the road. They did an amazing job on the home clubhouse and on the visitors’ side, too. It’s going to be great to have the game and the Home Run Derby in a park that’s nice and built correctly for the fan experience.

The Battery certainly makes the fan experience unique in Atlanta. How much will guests from out of town enjoy the many different restaurant, retail and lodging options available just beyond the outfield gates?

MO: I’ve been out to The Battery a couple times. It’s a great area. It’s going to be a challenge to find a chair at any of those bars or restaurants during the All-Star Game festivities. But there are a lot of great options. I don’t think there are too many other places where you can just kind of pop right outside before or after an event and make it a full day of being around the park. It’s perfect for big events like the All-Star Game.

One of the great benefits to playing in Atlanta has been the opportunity to invest more time in ReClif, the foundation your friend Reese Blankenship founded to help individuals with autism and their families. How is this going?

MO: They’re still doing a ton of great things there. The support has been great over the past couple years. Obviously, the more money they can raise, the more stuff they can do with people who have autism, like getting them help or taking them to events. Reese is throwing out first pitches at Gwinnett Stripers games and coming to games here. I always knew I wanted to help in any way that I could, but being traded here made it an easier thing for me. I always say I’m not doing anything special — I’m just using a platform, and they’re the ones that are really making the change.

You and your wife, Nicole, welcomed your first child to the world in December. What has it been like to experience a season as a father, especially in your hometown?

MO: It’s priceless. I’ve got my parents and my wife’s parents around. Plus, I’m truly at home for each of the 81 home games. It kind of strikes a chord with me that when my little man starts growing up, he’s going to be at the Braves game just like I was. He might have a little different experience being able to walk around the clubhouse and go on the field, but it’s one of those full-circle things.

What are your go-to restaurants in Atlanta?

MO: When it comes to breakfast, you have to go with Buttermilk Kitchen. I like Cupanion’s too. For dinner, I like KR SteakBar and Rumi’s [Kitchen]. I like Blue Moon Pizza and Sushi Nami near Truist.

You grew up watching Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and John Smoltz. What has it been like to play alongside Ronald Acuña Jr., who has the potential to join your childhood heroes as one of the franchise’s all-time greats?

MO: Ronald is one of the best players in the game, if not the best. His ability to step out there from pitch one and impact the game — whether he takes a walk and steals second or hits a ball 480 feet — there are just things that man can do that not everybody can. It’s always fun watching him play.