Braves Add Adam Duvall In Trade With Reds

Image credit: Adam Duvall (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

The Braves already acquired Jonny Venters and Brad Brach to address their bullpen needs. Now, they’ve added a big bat to supplement their offense.

The Braves acquired outfielder Adam Duvall from the Reds on Monday night, sending back righthanders Lucas Sims and Matt Wisler and outfielder Preson Tucker.

Duvall’s acquisition allows the Braves to sit Ender Inciarte against lefties and move Ronald Acuna Jr. into center field while Duvall plays left. After sliding from first to fifth in the NL in runs scored, it’s a move designed to jolt an already potent Braves offense.

The Reds, meanwhile, acquire three players with big league time but couldn’t lock down consistent roles with the Braves and now will get a change of scenery.

BRAVES ACQUIRE:

Adam Duvall, OF
Age: 29

Duvall quietly put together back-to-back 30 home run seasons in 2016-17, but he’s slipped this year to a .205/.286/.399 slash line, a drop of 97 points off last season’s OPS. While Duvall has struggled in general, he remains a threat against lefties. He’s posted .769 OPS against southpaws this season, and he remains an elite defensive outfielder. His 14 defensive runs saved, as measured by FanGraphs, ranks second in the majors among left fielders. Duvall fits with the Braves as a platoon outfielder for now and could have a bigger role in the future. He will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season and won’t be a free agent until after the 2021 season.

 

REDS ACQUIRE:

Lucas Sims, RHP
Age: 24

The burly righthander made his major league debut last year and figured to have a role on the Braves’ staff this year, but he struggled terribly with his control and has instead spent most of the season in Triple-A. Sims, a first-round pick in 2012, operates 93-95 mph with his fastball and backs it up with a potent curveball, but walks and poor control have hampered him his entire career. He’s remained primarily a starter at Triple-A, going 4-3, 2.84 with 10.2 K/9 at Triple-A Gwinnett (albeit also with 4.2 BB/9), and the Reds will see if they can get his control issues sorted out and make him a part of their future rotation.

Matt Wisler, RHP
Age: 25

Like Sims, Wisler is a former top prospect who reached the majors but has had a hard time staying there. After showing well as a rookie in 2015, Wisler stepped back in 2016 and has spent most of the past two years on the shuttle between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett. Wisler works 93-96 mph on his fastball with a low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball as his main secondaries. Wisler has never missed many bats, but he’s still young and shown the ability to be survive in the majors. The Reds will see if they can get him back on track.

Preston Tucker, OF
Age: 28

Tucker began the year as the Braves’ starting left fielder but hit the bench as soon as Ronald Acuna got called up in late April. He provides some lefthanded power and posted a .752 OPS in limited time this season, although his below-average defense and hitting ability (career .227 batting average and .281 on-base percentage) mostly limit him to a bench role.