Atlanta Braves: How will Adam Duvall, postseason hero, do in 2020?

Back to the bus leagues

For a guy that hit 63 homers over two seasons and made an All-Star team as recently as 2016, it had to be a humbling experience to find yourself playing in AAA, for an team who typically feeds near the bottom of the International League in attendance- the Gwinnett Stripers.

Duvall seemed to take it in stride. It was all about getting that swing back that enabled him to hit all those home runs for the Red Legs.

That’s exactly what he did. As a Striper, he crushed 32 home runs in just 369 at-bats. He was an International League All-Star and anchored what was an intimidating Stripers line-up in terms of power-hitting.

That performance with the bat earned him a promotion back the major leagues on July 27. He was briefly optioned again on August 26 when Dansby Swanson returned from the disabled list, but joined the Atlanta Braves again on September 5.

When Duvall came up in July, he played like he might never go back. He went 3-5 in his first game back, a 15-7 rout of the Phillies, hitting a home run.

He recorded hits in his next two games before unloading on the Nationals for four hit day that included two solo home runs. The next day, he hit another homer.

The day after that, he tagged his former team, the Reds for another bomb.

Getting back to his old self

In a week’s stretch, Duvall had gone 12-25 (.480) with five homers and 7 RBI. He did cool, getting regular playing time but seeing his average settle to .241. He hit just one additional homer before taking another break with the Stripers.

In September, ‘Duvy’ was more of a part-time player, but hit the ball better than he did in August, hitting four homers.

Then came the postseason.

Lightning doesn’t usually strike in the same place twice, but Duvall got two huge hits for the Atlanta Braves in the postseason.

One was a home run to center field in game two of the NLDS, after fans booed Brian Snitker for taking out a red-hot Mike Foltynewicz. The second was in game three. After Dansby tied the game at one, Duvall singled off Carlos Martinez, driving in two runs that became the winning runs.

Sometimes, being patient with a player pays off.