Does Adam Duvall Really Make Sense?

Duvall's had some good moments, but does a reunion really benefit the Braves in 2023?

First off, the whole adage still applies - if the Braves are rumored to have an interest in a player, that probably means they don't because Alex Anthopoulos' camp doesn't leak information. That said, the Braves were supposedly after Sean Murphy for weeks before the deal was actually completed. Maybe - just maybe - where there's some smoke, there might be a little fire after all.

According to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com, the Braves are considering trading for their former outfielder, Duvall. It's not the best fit for either team - the Red Sox are still at least involved in a playoff race while another platoon outfielder might not make the most sense for the Braves. But let's at least consider how kind of weird this potential reunion would be first.

The story of Duvall is pretty well known at this point. Acquired from the Reds back in 2018 to help solidly left field, Duvall struggled tremendously down the stretch and was optioned back to the minors the following spring. He performed well in Gwinnett, earning a promotion back to the bigs where he thrived, homering 10 times in 130 PA. He was especially productive in the NLDS against the Cardinals. That opened the door for a return to the lineup in 2020 and, despite some on-base issues, he bashed 16 homers in 57 games.

The Braves didn't have room for Duvall to return, though. With the NL losing the DH and Marcell Ozuna re-signed, Atlanta passed on a bringing back Duvall. He signed with the Marlins and picked up a ton of ribbies in the process. After the outfield's spectacular failure - plus Ronald Acuña Jr.'s injury - the Braves brought back Duvall in their series of moves to rework the outfield. It paid off well. Duvall drove in another 45 runs after the trade, giving him a NL-best 113. He added a Grand Slam in the World Series and a Gold Glove by the end of the year.

But Duvall's 2022 never got off the ground. He struggled with the bat while doing his best to play center field. He looked more comfortable following a shift to left field as Michael Harris II arrived, but his season came to an unfortunate end after hurting his wrist crashing into the wall chasing a foul ball.

Once again, the Braves moved on and Duvall signed with the Red Sox. He got off to a great start, driving in five runs in his second game with Boston. But he hit the injuried list just nine games into the season, missing two months. His numbers since returning haven't been great, though he did homer last night and his OPS is well over .800 the last two weeks.

So, why are the Braves possibly interested in bringing back Duvall?

On one hand, Duvall does some things very well. He can play a passable center field, but is an excellent corner outfielder. And there's zero doubt he can bash, having hit 171 career homers in 871 games. At the same time, there are obvious weaknesses to his game including struggles to get on base.

But the rationale I’m hearing that the Braves are interested in Duvall is kind of confusing to me. The job he supposedly would have with the Braves - replacing Kevin Pillar as Eddie Rosario's platoon partner - isn't really Duvall's thing. Career wise, Duvall has a .756 OPS against right-handers and a .767 OPS against lefties. This year, in limited action, he's had reverse splits with much better numbers against righties than lefties. Conversely, Pillar has a .827 OPS against left-hand pitching this year with a hundred point different in career OPS when he has the platoon advantage.

Duvall simply isn't a great fit as a platoon option, but perhaps he can replace Rosario as the starting left fielder and send Rosario into a DH timeshare with Ozuna. Both Ozuna and Rosario have cooled dramatically in July and perhaps Duvall could inject some offense into the mix.

While possible, adding another streaky hitter with problems getting on base seems like a weird usage of what few resources the Braves have. Not to mention that Atlanta would either be on the hook for the remainder of Duvall's $7 million salary or would require the Red Sox to pay some of it. Perhaps the better approach would be to go after a bigger and better bat than a player with a career .759 OPS, even if it’s nicer since 2020 at .769.

None of this suggests Duvall couldn't be acquired or he wouldn't be productive for the Braves. My only concern is that he doesn't seem to fill a role for a team that could use another high-leverage arm, maybe a dependable starter, and a bit more of a consistent bat than Duvall has ever been. Oh, when Duvall is on, he's a force in the lineup. But he's prone to long cold stretches much like two of the players whose time he would cut into (Rosario and Ozuna).

But as I said from the onset of this post, chances are that if you hear the Braves are after a player, they probably aren't all that interested after all. That's just how the Braves typically work.

Well, typically.