The Atlanta Braves first baseman eventually locked in, but he fell short of advancing past the first round of the Home Run Derby

Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was crowned 2024 Home Run Derby champion after defeating Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in the finals. Hernandez slugged 14 homers in the final round, one more than Witt, to become the first Dodgers player to win the Derby title.

Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. was the first to commit to the event, to be held at his home yard, Truist Park in Atlanta. However, one day after the field was finalized, MLB announced that his teammate Matt Olson would replace him.

Olson took some good cuts and the hometown crowd was certainly behind him but it didn’t translate into a deep run for Atlanta’s first baseman.

Atlanta Braves slugger Matt Olson represented his home town in the 2025 Home Run Derby but fell just short against an impressive field of home run hitters.

Truist Park has a hometown favorite to cheer on in the Home Run Derby, but it isn't the player originally chosen to participate.

ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson's Home Run Derby appearance came to a close after the first round Monday night. Olson hit 15 home runs, but failed to advance past the first round. This is his third All-Star appearance (second for the Braves). During the derby, Olson felt the admiration from the fans.

Twenty-five years ago, Matt Olson sat in the upper deck of Turner Field to take in the Home Run Derby. The 6-year-old watched in awe as legends like Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr. and former Braves star Chipper Jones hammered baseballs into the Atlanta sky.

When Matt Olson was recently asked a second time about attending the 2000 Home Run Derby with his parents at Turner Field, Braves teammate Chris Sale quickly turned his head and said, “Wait, you were actually there?