The good and bad of free agent option Adam Duvall
I’ve convinced myself the New York Mets will sign Adam Duvall. It’s hard to ignore his league-leading 113 RBI from the 2021 season. Signing a former Atlanta Braves player only to have him help crush them would be poetic justice, too.
But with all of the good Duvall can bring the Mets, there are just as many bad qualities. We’ll have to weigh them and see if he really is a nice option or not for the Amazins in their ongoing pursuit of a bat.
The good things Adam Duvall can bring to the Mets roster
Duvall is a right-handed hitter with power. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 and can even give them some innings in center field. I’m liking this guy already.
Duvall is a lot like Darin Ruf but significantly better. Anything the Mets could have ever dreamed to get out of Ruf, Duvall has accomplished. He isn’t a masher of lefty pitchers with career slash numbers similar regardless of the handedness of the pitcher. This isn’t such a bad thing. The lefty/righty platoon didn’t work out so well with Daniel Vogelbach last year. The Mets should be looking to do something else, even if it’s rotating through different options when Vogey sits.
The bad things Adam Duvall can bring to the Mets roster
Duvall missed a lot of time last season and will play the 2023 season at age 34. Injuries plus age are never good for anyone. It’s a major concern. Concerns are one thing. Performance is another.
The horrifying .230/.289/.465 slash line in over 3,000 plate appearances is not exactly fan-friendly. This guy strikes out a lot and doesn’t draw very many walks. He has frustration written all over.
One big question with Duvall, and any other player who is used to playing on an everyday basis, would be how they can handle less frequent trips to the plate. Certain guys seem to thrive on being part-timers while others need to play more regularly. There is no Lenny Harris out there for the Mets to snag. Whoever they choose will need to be someone who must adjust to seeing his name in the starting lineup a little bit less.