It took until the week before spring training, but the Miami Marlins finally added the impact bat they were hoping to acquire this offseason.
The Marlins have agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Adam Duvall, sources told the Miami Herald on Tuesday.
Duvall’s contract is worth a guaranteed $5 million dollars, according to a source. He will earn $2 million in 2021 and has a $7 million dollar mutual option for 2022. He will receive a $3 million dollar buyout if the option is not accepted.
Once the deal is officially announced, the Marlins will have to make a corresponding roster move because their 40-man roster is full.
One potential move that could surface: A Garrett Cooper trade. The Los Angeles Dodgers have inquired about the Marlins’ slugging first baseman/outfielder, according to sources.
While only a career .233 hitter, Duvall has hit 113 career home runs and has 329 RBI over seven MLB seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2014), Cincinnati Reds (2015-2018) and Atlanta Braves (2018-2020). That includes back-to-back 30-plus home run seasons in 2016 and 2017.
Duvall’s 16 home runs in the shortened 2020 season ranked tied for seventh in MLB. He had a pair of three-home run games within a span of eight days last season, one of which came in Atlanta’s 29-9 win over the Marlins on Sept. 9.
His .882 OPS (on base plus slugging percentage) in 2019 would have led the Marlins and his .833 mark in 2020 would have been third behind only Miguel Rojas (.888) and Garrett Cooper (.853).
Defensively, Duvall has 42 career defensive runs saved as an outfielder according to FanGraphs, with the majority of that production coming between the 2016 and 2018 seasons.
The Marlins’ addition of Duvall adds another layer to their already deep outfielder corps. Corey Dickerson, in the final year of his two-year deal, is penciled in as Miami’s starting left fielder. Starling Marte, playing on a $12.5 million team option, is set to start in center field. Duvall would presumably get the most looks in right field.
That would leave the group of Lewis Brinson, Magneuris Sierra, Harold Ramirez, Monte Harrison and Jesus Sanchez to compete for spots on the 26-man active roster. The Marlins also have super-utility player Jon Berti who can play in the outfielder. Cooper, who ideally would primarily play at first base should he remain on the roster, is also a candidate in the corner outfields when Jesus Aguilar starts at first base because the National League will not have a designated hitter in 2021.
In addition to Harrison and Sanchez, the Marlins also have eight other outfielders among their top-30 prospects according to Baseball America: JJ Bleday, Kameron Misner, Connor Scott, Peyton Burdick, Jerar Encarnacion, Griffin Conine, Victor Mesa Jr. and Victor Victor Mesa.
Miami Herald senior baseball contributor Craig Mish contributed to this report.
