Adam Duvall, who has struggled at the plate to begin the season, has identified an area on which to work.
It’s probably easier to let Duvall – a former All-Star who launched 38 home runs last season – explain this.
“The biggest piece is staying connected throughout the swing, which means not letting your hands get too far away from your body, or even too close,” he said. “It allows you to move the bat through the (strike) zone more effectively and more accurately. I think that’s the biggest thing right now, that’s the biggest piece, is trying to find that connection and just take that connection all the way through the swing. And not shooting the hands out too far or even suck them in too close because then you’re not in as strong of a position.”
The thought in that last part is this: If the hands are too close or too far from the body, then Duvall is in a weaker position and isn’t maximizing his strength when connecting with the baseball. He’s been working in the batting cage to improve in this area.
Duvall entered Friday’s series opener against the Brewers batting .191 with a .537 on-base plus slugging percentage. He has driven in 13 runs, but hasn’t found much consistency.
Here is the encouraging part: A closer look at the numbers makes it seem as if Duvall hasn’t been as bad as the results suggest.
His average exit velocity, per Baseball Savant, is 90.5 mph, which is a higher number than he’s registered in all but one year since 2015. His hard-hit rate, which is 45.2%, would be a career high if the season ended today.
Duvall has played a good center field for the Braves. He could soon turn it around at the plate.
As he works on his swing, he tries to ensure he isn’t cluttering his mind before he heads to the plate that evening.
“You try to do that all in the cage and (batting practice) and try and turn your mind off during the game,” Duvall said. “No one’s perfect, so there are some times where it leaks up to the plate. But you try to shut your mind off and just go and compete during the game.”
Asked if he feels close to a breakthrough, Duvall made a hand gesture that showed two fingers with not much space in between them.
The point: You’re always close to anything in this sport.
“You’re always one little adjustment away from getting hot,” he said. “This game, you’re this far from being hot or being not.”
How Wright is handling the extra days
Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright both started a game in Tuesday’s doubleheader in New York, which means they were both lined up for Sunday’s series finale against the Brewers.
Morton will start that game, which precedes an off-day. So Wright will have an extra two days of rest because of the two off-days in between his last start and his next one.
This will be different, Wright said Friday. But it shouldn’t be an issue because he’s altered his routines before and he said feels like he’s in a good spot.
“It doesn’t change a whole lot,” he said. “You just have a little more time to kind of recover, I guess. It’s definitely different because you’re used to this routine, and then you add one day, it’s a little different. You add another day, it’s a little different. I think having the off-days kind of simplifies it because on the off-day, I just try to lay low and not do a whole lot anyways, just try to recover.”
Because of the extra days in between his starts, Wright will throw two bullpen sessions. He planned to complete one Friday, then a light one on Monday’s off-day. He expects to play catch Saturday.
“The big thing that I’ve learned is just listen to your arm,” he said. “If your arm says you’re feeling good, then go play catch, work on something.”
Wright said he’s picked up something else throughout his time in the big leagues.
“I’ve learned that throwing a little extra sometimes in the ‘pen or overdoing the bullpen isn’t necessarily worth it,” he said. “There’s nothing that I’m going to reinvent myself in a bullpen during the week that’s going to really affect me in the next game, whether good or bad. I feel like you can’t put too much stock into it sometimes, you just kind of have to have your focus, have your goal and hopefully you have good execution in the ‘pen.”
Braves manager Brian Snitker said he talked to Morton and Wright. Morton, the manager said, has the seniority, and “I think he feels like instead of wanting the extra rest, he needs to try to get his thing together.”
Wright has a 1.74 ERA through five starts, and Morton holds a 6.85 ERA.
What is Soroka up to?
Mike Soroka was at Truist Park on Friday. Snitker said the right-hander has been “doing his normal” rehab.
Snitker said Soroka has thrown off the mound a little bit. He had been in Green Bay, Wis., where he underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon.
“Everything’s going good,” Snitker said. “He hasn’t had setbacks or anything, he’s doing everything they have for him on his rehab schedule.”
Soroka has been working to return from his second Achilles tendon tear.
Piña gaining strength
Manny Piña is eligible to return from the injured list when ready. He needed rest to ensure his left wrist inflammation would decrease.
Snitker said he saw Piña go to the batting cage on Friday. The manager said the backup catcher is still a little sore, but is back to doing activities.
The Braves are treating Piña’s situation with a day-to-day approach.
Braves honoring Aaron
This weekend, the Braves cap their celebration of Hank Aaron Week. They are wearing their throwback jerseys from 1974 on Friday and Saturday.
Snitker also received a Hank Aaron bobblehead.
“We can’t honor him enough,” Snitker said. “It’s always a special weekend because of his legacy and honoring him.”
Aaron died Jan. 22, 2021.
