Should Atlanta Braves try to deal for Reds’ Adam Duvall?
By Derek Snyder
The Atlanta Braves have had inconsistent production from their left fielders in 2017, so should they try and make a deal for Reds outfielder Adam Duvall?
With the Atlanta Braves currently in the middle of their rebuild, I think we can all agree that most anything should be on the table moving forward. Not to mention, we can likely also agree they haven’t received consistent production from their left fielders all season long. With Matt Kemp dealing with a bad hamstring for most of the year, the Braves have had to plug-and-play numerous makeshift outfielders in the process.
That being said, should the Braves make a play for Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall this winter?
According to Baseball Reference, Duvall is currently playing out his one-year, $577,500 contract with the Reds, but is under team control until 2021. The former 11th round draft pick has raised his stock significantly since coming to Cincinnati, which is why I expect the Reds to try and sign him to a long-term deal or trade him away over the next few seasons.
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Would the Braves have interest in a 28-year-old outfielder who the Reds could ask the farm for? While I don’t think Atlanta should give away any of its top prospects, things could get interesting if they offer players like Kemp or Nick Markakis.
Both guys would offer the Reds a veteran hitter who would excel in the team’s short-porched ballpark. Yes, both Kemp and Markakis are over 30 years old, but they would bring solid leadership and experience to a young Cincinnati roster.
With Ender Inciarte owning center field and top prospect Ronald Acuna trending toward right field, the Braves would do themselves a solid by making a play for Duvall.
Per Baseball Reference, Duvall has hit 62 total home runs the last two seasons, has driven in 188 runs and has already made an appearance in the MLB Home Run Derby. Not only would he provide another dangerous presence in Atlanta’s lineup, but he also owns a .981 fielding percentage in 2017 as well.
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At the young age of 28, Duvall would be an addition that would help take this team to another level. The Reds outfielder will surely have many teams calling for his services in the near future, but Atlanta needs to be the team that shows the most interest. If they can do that, they’d be getting one heck of a ball player.