Throughout the season the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated the AL West favorite. This week we're going to tackle Matt Olson's shot at a milestone with the Braves slugger currently on pace for 58 home runs.
Will Matt Olson hit 60 home runs?
R.J. Anderson: I hope Olson does. I enjoy home-run chases and he's having the kind of year that merits more national coverage. That said, my rational side says no, he won't cross the 60-homer threshold. If he hit home runs at his career rate the rest of the way, he's looking at something like 54 or 55. Still a gaudy total and a tremendous season by any measure. Of course, as we saw last year with Aaron Judge, regression doesn't always come into play on these matters.
Dayn Perry: I'll say no because I'm a hater. I also tend to take the under on any record paces, even this late in the season, and usually that stance is the correct one. Mostly, though, I'm a hater, and I like to see most people deprived of what they want.
Matt Snyder: In all likelihood, his pace falls off. There are things to watch along the way that'll make the chase exciting, though. Hank Aaron never hit more than 47 in a season and that mark is tied with Eddie Mathews for the second-most in Braves history. The Braves club record is 51 (Andruw Jones in 2005). Just getting up into that territory is fun and I think Olson does set the team record. I really do hope Olson gets around 60 and some of the networks cut into college football games for his at-bats again, though, like with Aaron Judge last year. It was beyond hilarious to watch a collective meltdown on social media because people missed a few plays of a Tulane game last year.
Mike Axisa: Olson goes into Friday's game with 43 home runs in 120 team games, putting him on pace for 58. Seventeen homers in the final 42 team games is very doable -- Olson has 19 homers in the team's last 44 games -- though it is a pretty extreme pace, and I have to think the Braves will give him a few days off later in the season. I know Atlanta plays its best players every single game, but the Braves have a huge division lead and the priority is winning the World Series, not individual players getting into all 162 games. I think Olson finishes with 57 or 58 homers and falls just short. That would still give us a fun chase though.
