This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Adam Duvall understands why so many Braves followers have been completely satisfied to listen to he rejoined the membership final week. The indelible bond created by the 2021 World Sequence title is one that’s savored by gamers and followers alike.
“While you do what we did in 2021, there’s all the time that particular place in your coronary heart,” Duvall mentioned. “To have the ability to come again and be a part of one other nice workforce is fairly cool. It will likely be thrilling to see how this group takes form and varieties its personal id.”
When the Braves introduced they signed Duvall to a one-year, $3 million deal final week, the match appeared good. The workforce wanted an skilled outfielder, ideally a right-handed one who may platoon with Jarred Kelenic in left area.
Duvall match the position, and extra importantly, already had the respect of most everybody within the Braves’ clubhouse, together with supervisor Brian Snitker, who considers the outfielder one in every of his favourite gamers he’s ever managed.
“Meaning lots,” Duvall mentioned when instructed of Snitker’s sentiment. “That’s actually cool.”
Duvall signed with Atlanta precisely two weeks forward of Thursday’s Opening Day matchup towards the Phillies in Philadelphia. He gained’t be anticipated to be within the beginning lineup till the Braves conclude the three-game sequence with a March 31 matchup towards left-hander Ranger Suarez.
Will Duvall have sufficient time to organize?
Effectively, he spent the previous few weeks figuring out with the College of Louisville and Lipscomb College baseball groups. These exercises helped to some extent, however Duvall didn’t actually get to see skilled pitching till he arrived in Spring Coaching and spent the previous few days taking part in in Minor League video games.
Duvall bought 4 to 6 plate appearances within the Minor League video games he performed over the previous few days. He bought to see a few left-handed pitchers from the Rays’ system on Wednesday and he would have made his Grapefruit League debut on Friday in Fort Myers, however with heavy rain within the forecast, Snitker as a substitute pushed again Duvall’s exhibition season debut to Saturday towards the Rays. That proved to be the suitable transfer as Friday’s recreation towards the Twins was finally rained out.
Debuting Saturday will give the outfielder an opportunity to play in 4 Grapefruit League video games earlier than the workforce heads to Philadelphia after Tuesday afternoon’s recreation in Fort Myers.
“I believe the largest factor is getting the at-bats and getting the legs beneath me,” Duvall mentioned. “You are able to do as a lot as you possibly can [away from Spring Training], however you need to go on the market and stand in cleats and expertise the forwards and backwards of coming to the dugout after which getting sizzling on the sphere once more. It takes a little bit little bit of time.”
Duvall first joined the Braves in July 2018 close to the tip of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Nationwide League Rookie of Yr season and he was with the Braves once more in 2022, when Michael Harris II arrived in late Could and was named NL ROY a couple of months later.
Now, Duvall will likely be reunited with each of these outfielders, who’ve established themselves as two of the sport’s finest.
“It’s cool to see them do their factor and be leaders,” Duvall mentioned. “It’s cool to see them get so far the place they simply go on the market and do their factor.”
