The Braves received a bit of somber news this afternoon, as Adam Duvall inked a deal with the division-rival Miami Marlins. According to Craig Mish, it is a $5 million guaranteed contract that will pay him $2 million in 2021. He has a $7 million mutual option in 2022 with a $3 million buyout.
Per sources a very creative deal for Duvall. The contract is worth a guaranteed $5 million dollars. He will earn $2 million in 2021. His 2022 deal has a $7 million dollar mutual option OR $3 Million dollar buyout. So guaranteed $5 million dollars.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) February 9, 2021
Everyone was excited for Duvall to join the Braves in 2018 after Alex Anthopoulos acquired him from the Reds. However, he delivered with arguably the worst 33-game stretch of his career, hitting just .132 with no home runs or RBIs — good for a .344 OPS — in 57 plate appearances. But Alex Anthopoulos decided not to give up on him, and it paid off.
Duvall began 2019 in AAA, where he smacked nearly 30 homers before finally receiving the call back up to Atlanta. In 41 games with the Braves that season, he slugged 10 homers and recorded an .882 OPS, but he was even better in the playoffs, coming up with the two biggest hits in the NLDS.
Duvall’s torrid stretch continued into 2020. He was able to play on a much more everyday basis because of the DH, racking up 16 homers in 57 games. Unfortunately, watching him exit in Game 2 of the NLCS with a season-ending oblique injury is the last memory Braves’ fans will have of Duvall. Had he been able to play the remainder of the series, who knows what would have happened.
As far as the Marlins are concerned, this is a tremendous pickup at an affordable price. Duvall should fit in perfectly with their organization and add a ton of pop to the middle of their lineup. However, the Braves shouldn’t be too discouraged. Bringing Duvall back would have been a luxury, and without a DH, it didn’t make much sense. He is much better suited to play every day rather than coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter.
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