The Boston Red Sox have signed outfielder Adam Duvall to a 1yr/$7M contract.
Duval, 34, is a three time 30+HR hitter, who slashed .228/.281/.491 with 38 long balls, 113 RBIs and 67 runs scored in 2021, splitting time between the Braves and Marlins organizations.
That being said, the right handed bat is coming off an injury plagued campaign last year with Atlanta where he managed to suit up for only 315 plate appearances across 86 contests.
Not known for his ability to regularly put bat on ball, as evidenced by his career .230 batting average, Duvall demonstrates the prototypical “all or nothing” approach at the plate that’s become commonplace in the modern MLB.
Nevertheless, at only $7M for 1 year, it’s a gamble the Red Sox front office felt confident in making given the departure of JD Martinez in the offseason. Not only will Boston be expected to replace Martinez’s offensive contributions, but they’ll also be looking to find productive at bats in the wake of losing perennial All-Star Xander Bogaerts to the Padres, and current shortstop Trevor Story who will miss a significant chunk of the season after undergoing elbow surgery.
The Louisville, KY native was an All-Star in 2016 and earned a Gold Glove in 2021. He’ll be expected to provide some pop in the middle of the order for a currently underwhelming Red Sox offense.
While Boston’s front office has brought in Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida to help round out their roster, the former is now 38 years old, while the latter is a great contact hitter, but lacks power in his compact swing.
Last year the Red Sox hit the 11th fewest home runs (155) in the Major Leagues. This comes despite playing in the cozy confines of Fenway Park and with regular trips to other AL East “hitter friendly” ballparks on a regular basis.
Story (16), Martinez (16), and Bogaerts (15) had the team’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th most home runs in 2022 meaning that Boston’s offense will look drastically different to kick off the 2023 campaign.
Duvall’s deal is currently pending a physical, but could include up to an additional $3M in performance bonuses if he hits various milestones throughout the 2023 season.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Arturo Pardavila III. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.