House That Hank Built
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3 Takeaways: On Deadline Day, Atlanta Braves win series in extras vs Nationals

By Daniel Rasmussen

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves hits the game winning home run against the Washington Nationals during the tenth inning at Nationals Park on July 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves hits the game winning home run against the Washington Nationals during the tenth inning at Nationals Park on July 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 31: Adam Duvall #23 of the Atlanta Braves hits a home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park on July 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 31: Adam Duvall #23 of the Atlanta Braves hits a home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park on July 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

3. The Braves didn’t trade for an outfielder…and they didn’t need to.

If I had told you that the Atlanta Braves would add an outfielder to the mix in late July who would spark the offense with these numbers…

  • 11 hits in his first 22 at-bats
  • 4 home runs in his first five games

…And that the team – also in late July – would add another outfielder into the fray who hit like this over the last two weeks of the month…

  • .269/.367/.577
  • .944 OPS

…you probably would’ve cringed at the prospect cost it would’ve taken in order to acquire such impressive production to slot in at two-thirds of the starting outfield during Trade Deadline season.

Fortunately for the Atlanta Braves, they didn’t need to pay a dime in extra salary or prospect capital in order to obtain this production.

They just had to give a couple of guys a second chance.

What Adam Duvall and Ender Inciarte have done upon their addition to the Atlanta lineup has been highly valuable to say the least, especially in the wake of the severe injury to starting outfielder Nick Markakis and the prolonged slumping of rookie Austin Riley.

The “second chance” tandem came up big again on Wednesday in the series finale vs Washington, with Inciarte hitting a double and scoring a run, and Duvall smashing yet another home run.

Adam Duvall spent the entire season – prior to July 27th – with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett, where he clubbed 29 homers in just under 400 plate appearances, all while patiently waiting his turn at redemption in the big leagues.

Duvall was ice, ice cold upon his arrival to Atlanta a year ago, ultimately hitting below .200 when the Braves traded for him at the deadline in July of 2018.

This July? It’s a very different story for the right-handed slugger, who is suddenly proving himself just as potent (or even more so?) than any outfield bat the Braves could’ve traded for this week.

As for Ender Inciarte, the longtime Atlanta outfielder who had been sidelined with a lumbar injury to his back since May 14th before his return on July 18th, this second chance has proved especially sweet.

The Gold Glove-level defender has made the most of his opportunity for playing time in the Atlanta outfield, and is suddenly giving Braves fans hope that his penchant for second half success (career BA of .315 and OPS of .796 in the second half) could be coming to a head soon enough.

The dynamic duo of comeback stories appear to be playing with a confidence that the Atlanta Braves sorely need, and has given Braves fans a reason for belief that the outfield – even without a major trade having taken place – is going to be just fine.

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