Braves outfielder Adam Duvall took the National League lead in RBIs during his team’s 9-2 win Sunday.
Duvall smashed a three-run homer in the third inning that put the Braves up 5-0. It pushed his RBI total to 94, one more than former teammate and Marlins slugger Jesus Aguilar.
Duvall is having perhaps the most productive season of his career. He’s close to his second career 100-RBI campaign (he also had 103 RBIs in 2016). His 31 home runs are two shy of tying his career high.
He’s been an important part of the Braves’ revival since Miami traded him back to Atlanta on July 30. Duvall has nine homers and 26 RBIs across 33 games with the Braves. He’s picked up where he left off in 2020, when he had 16 homers and 33 RBIs for the Braves during the shortened season.
“He’s been huge,” said catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who’s homered in consecutive games. “Obviously the numbers speak for themselves, but the person he’s been in the clubhouse has been good as well. He makes everyone feel good. He makes everyone want to work harder. He’s just a great person to be around. When great things happen to great people, it just makes you love them even more.”
Notably, 21 of Duvall’s 31 homers have come with somebody on base. Such timing is why he sits atop the league’s RBI leaderboard.
“Awesome,” Snitker said of Duvall taking the NL RBI lead. “I am so glad ... we got him back. He’s a different guy when you have runners on, that’s for darn sure. I think his average and the whole thing is something else with runners in scoring position, and obviously it has to be when you’re racking up RBIs like that. I could never be too happy for a guy like that. The teammate, the person. Man, there’s something wrong with you if you can’t root for Adam Duvall.”
Duvall’s 94 RBIs are sixth overall in MLB. He trails American Leaguers Jose Abreu (103), Salvador Perez (102), Rafael Devers (100), Vladimir Guerrero (97) and Austin Meadows (96).
