The Atlanta Braves are in an all-out sprint to the playoffs in the National League, and they're doing it shorthanded.
Without star contributors Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies in the lineup, it's been a rough go for the Braves' offense. They have managed to hang in the playoff picture well considering all the injuries, currently holding a 1 1/2 game lead for the final Wild Card spot.
Because so many of the Braves' stars have been injured, they have had to pursue a familiar strategy in 2024.
In 2021, the Braves brought in a large group of unheralded veteran outfielders in the middle of the season who all went on to star in the postseason for the eventual World Series champions. In 2024, they've brought almost all those players back to Atlanta.
One of those homecoming players was outfielder Adam Duvall, who started in center field for the Braves during their World Series run. Duvall was coming off an excellent season in 2023 with the Boston Red Sox, but his 2024 performance has left far more to be desired.
On Tuesday, FanSided's Zachary Rotman listed Duvall among the three Braves who were "on thin ice," and seemingly predicted he would be released or designated for assignment in the coming weeks.
"It felt as if (the Braves) had made one of the best value signings of the offseason, (but) unfortunately, Duvall hasn't been the player that Braves fans were accustomed to," Rotman said. "There's a very realistic chance that he doesn't even finish out the season in a Braves uniform."
Duvall, 35, has been one of the worst hitters in baseball on a rate basis. His .553 OPS would be the worst in MLB if he had enough at-bats to qualify, and he has been worth -1.4 wins above replacement to the Braves in just 318 plate appearances.
A regular starter with Boston in 2023, it appears Duvall has struggled to adjust to his part-time role. He's still hit reasonably well against lefties, with an .818 OPS, but has been abysmal against righties, with a .408 OPS.
Now that Michael Harris II has returned for the Braves, Duvall will have more limited opportunities to prove he belongs in the lineup. Fellow veteran right fielder Ramon Laureano has outperformed Duvall at the plate of late and could well keep his roster spot over Duvall when an injured player gets activated.
Every at-bat counts for the Braves at this point in the season. But Duvall's count just a little bit more, because the next one may not be guaranteed.
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