"Frustrated that Freddie Freeman is not going to be here anymore" - When Dansby Swanson had mixed feelings about Matt Olson's $168,000,000 Braves move

Going into the 2022 season was tough for Dansby Swanson and the Atlanta Braves. This marked the end of the Freddie Freeman era after 12 seasons with the club.

Freeman was a free agent and eventually signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Atlanta signed Matt Olson to replace Freeman, which was not an easy decision.

Braves acquired Olson from Athletics in exchange for Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, Joey Estes, and Ryan Cusick, and extended him for 8 years with a $168,000,000 deal.

Freeman's departure took its toll on his teammates and the fanbase. While Swanson was happy to team up with Olson, he knew just how much Freeman meant in Atlanta.

"If there was anyone to man first base, other than Freddie, it would be [Matt Olson] but then part of you is disappointed and frustrated that Freddie is not going to be here anymore," said Swanson.

Having Freddie Freeman at first base was all Swanson knew throughout his big-league career. He was there when he started his career in 2016 and it would be an adjustment to get used to somebody else.

"It's just one of those things where you always know it's a possibility coming into an offseason, but when it happens, it's just one of those things that still hits home a little bit because at the end of the day, this is a business," said Swanson.

Dansby Swanson quickly shut down the comparison between Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson

Former Atlanta Braves Slugger - Dansby Swanson (Photo via IMAGN)

Many around the league quickly began asking if Matt Olson would be able to fill the shoes of Freddie Freeman. It was a solid question to ask, as Freeman brought more than just power to his game.

Freeman was a player many of his teammates looked up to. He had a ton of experience at the big-league level and was a star at his position.

However, this was a comparison that Dansby Swanson quickly shut down. He did not want Olson to come into the new season with added pressure.

"I think we need to go ahead and get off the whole comparisons train. I think that comparing one player and another player and what they did, we're all unique players and we all mesh differently with different players and we all have different roles in clubhouses," said Swanson.

During Olson's first season in Atlanta, he held his own. He started all 162 regular-season games, hitting .240/.325/.477 with a career-high 44 doubles, 34 home runs and 103 runs batted in.