Peach Tree Times

Within hours of signing him, the Atlanta Braves have secured first baseman Matt Olson to an eight-year, $168 million deal.

MLB.com broke the story earlier this week, and Olson told the news organization every box just clicked for him to join the Braves, though he has spent his entire career to date with the Oakland A's. 

"I think it was kind of a quick decision," Olson told MLB.com. "But when you look at everything, every box is checked here. Obviously, this team just won the World Series and it's got a good young core. It's my hometown and my family lives in Atlanta. The list could go on and on."

Olson is set to replace longtime fan favorite Freddie Freeman as the team's first baseman. He joins the team as an Atlanta native and childhood fan of the Braves.

Olson is set to earn $15 million this season and $21 million in 2023, the report said. The deal, constructed by Olson's agent B.B. Abbott and Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos, came within just the first 10 hours that elapsed after Atlanta acquired Olson from the A's on March 14.

"It was one of those where I had to double-take, and say, 'Wait a minute, what did you say?'" Olson told MLB. "It's my hometown. I just bought a house there and I just got traded there, and you want to ink a deal and have security to be there for a while? It was just, 'Yes,' the whole way and something I was prepared to do."