CHICAGO — A chest protector hangs in Travis d’Arnaud’s locker in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field. “D’ARNAUD” is written on top. In the middle, there’s an artistic painting of the photo of d’Arnaud jumping into Will Smith’s arm after the Braves collected the final out of the World Series. On one of the shoulders, a Braves logo sits above a Mets logo, while the other shoulder has the Rays and Dodgers logos – representing the four big-league teams for which d’Arnaud has played in his career.
In the middle of the chest protector, next to the World Series photo, this is written in shiny silver: “10 YEARS.”
This custom chest protector – and an expensive bottle of alcohol – are gifts from d’Arnaud’s Braves teammates.
On Friday, d’Arnaud reached 10 years of major league service time, which is an impressive and rare accomplishment. Before Tuesday’s game, the Braves celebrated d’Arnaud with a gathering in the clubhouse. On Friday, d’Arnaud’s teammates surprised him with the gifts.
“I couldn’t sleep the night before (reaching 10 years), so there’s that,” d’Arnaud said. “I just tried to soak in the whole time. It’s a day I’ll never forget.”
This was a fitting and deserved feat for someone who means so much to the Braves. Since joining the Braves in 2020, d’Arnaud has stabilized their catching situation. But he also has been the glue in the clubhouse. He hits and catches, but also leads.
Credit: Justin Toscano/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Justin Toscano/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
‘The thing I try to do every day is keep everybody tight’
In May, Kevin Pillar spoke in front of the team when the Braves celebrated Marcell Ozuna reaching 10 years of service time. This time, Pillar asked another teammate to do it. He wanted to get this person out of their comfort zone, and he knew their words would mean a lot to d’Arnaud.
“I know he wasn’t comfortable doing it, but he did a really good job,” PIllar said.
It was Austin Riley.
“I know I’ve learned a lot from him,” Riley said Friday. “Never too high. I’ve never seen him in a bad mood or anything. He’s just happy to be here.”
On Friday, Dansby Swanson, a former Braves shortstop, walked out on the infield grass and greeted some of his old teammates. When the group was out there, Pillar came out and told guys they had a meeting. This was true, but d’Arnaud didn’t expect what came next.
The Braves presented d’Arnaud with the customized chest protector. In spring training, some of d’Arnaud’s teammates discussed doing this for him. When Pillar heard about the idea, he contacted an artist who previously had done custom cleats for him. The artist was able to do a digital painting of the World Series photo in the middle.
“Probably my favorite photo of all time,” d’Arnaud said.
All of that – the idea, the planning and the execution – represents what d’Arnaud means to the Braves.
Years ago, when d’Arnaud played for the Mets – the team for which he debuted – David Wright captained the clubhouse. He steered the ship wherever it needed to go. He made it a focus for everyone to be together all the time, d’Arnaud said, “especially there, when you can get driven apart by so many different things, especially from a team standpoint.”
“I tried to bring that to wherever I played,” d’Arnaud said. “The thing I try to do every day is keep everybody tight because, at some point, someone or something’s going to try to tear us apart. But if our bond’s tight, we should be good.”
D’Arnaud also makes sure everyone jokes with one another.
“I heard when I was young (that) it’s good to joke and make fun of your teammates, so when they hear it from a fan or somebody out there, they’ve already heard it, so it doesn’t bother them as much and they can laugh it off versus it affecting them and compounding their negative thoughts,” d’Arnaud said.
And we haven’t even gotten to d’Arnaud’s on-field performance or his catching ability.
“What I think his biggest strength (is) as a human, it’s his interpersonal relationship with guys,” Braves catching coach Sal Fasano said. “People always look at catchers like we should be middle linebackers screaming rah rah, all that kind of stuff. But you know me long enough, where I’m not like that, either.
“But I think Travis’ gift is his ability to just communicate with players. And he is a calming force, and I think that’s one of the reasons why we won the World Series. No disrespect to anybody else. It was the right person at the right time, where he’s still servant-based, and I think the pitchers really gravitated to that.”
‘I thought my career was over’
In 2019, after only 10 games and 23 at-bats, the Mets designated d’Arnaud for assignment.
At that point, he didn’t think he would make it to 10 years.
“No,” he said. “I thought my career was over.”
But after the Mets released d’Arnaud, the Dodgers – his hometown team – signed him.
“That, I think, revitalized me and made me fall in love with the game again and remember who I am and where I came from,” d’Arnaud said.
And then the Rays traded for him.
“The two top teams in baseball wanted me, so I knew I was doing something right,” d’Arnaud said. “I just tried to keep going.”
This gave d’Arnaud confidence. It provided reassurance that he was on the correct trajectory.
In the offseason before the 2020 season, the Braves signed d’Arnaud. He’s been an integral part of their organization ever since.
He helps Fasano and others with game-planning. He became an All-Star. He won a World Series. He’s a rare catcher: He provides offensive pop without sacrificing the defense.
When he lists the coaches who have helped him most, d’Arnaud first names Fasano. He also mentions Bob Geren, the bench coach when d’Arnaud played in New York. (Geren also officiated d’Arnaud’s wedding.) He then goes to Chad Mottola, who helped with his offensive revival.
“I figured out that I’m not a new-age swing guy. I can’t think like that,” d’Arnaud said. “I have to do more old-school principles and thoughts, and stay short and not try to hit the ball in the air.
Added Fasano: “As you get older, you start to doubt yourself offensively. You don’t really doubt yourself defensively. But you’re wondering, ‘Can I still hit? Can I still do things?’ And Chad put him in a good place in Tampa. I think after that, him coming here, his offense was set, now we can focus on the defensive part and then start to get him back to what we envisioned he was as a young guy.”
Behind the plate, d’Arnaud’s experience has carried him to new heights. At the All-Star game in Los Angeles last year, multiple pitchers said d’Arnaud was the best catcher they’d thrown to in their careers.
Last month, after signing d’Arnaud to a contract extension, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos called the catcher the “glue” for the organization.
On Friday, Swanson, who spent three seasons with d’Arnaud, said: “I feel like when he came over, in ‘20, (he was) just a little bit of kind of like a stabilizer.”
Not long after that, Braves manager Brian Snitker said: “He brought instant credibility, that’s for sure. We’d seen him from afar, and what he had accomplished and did. When you get to catcher like that, it’s really big, I think. And then to be able to keep him as long as we have is even better.”
‘It’s not always going to be an easy journey’
If you want an idea of who d’Arnaud is, consider this: After his All-Star campaign, Anthopoulos traded for Sean Murphy, who became the starting catcher.
D’Arnaud didn’t fret. He didn’t complain.
He continued being a great teammate. He’s as involved as ever. He plays – and performs well – when called upon. When he’s not in the lineup, he intently watches the game, picking up on anything that could help the Braves and providing that information to the necessary parties.
“Honestly, the same dude,” d’Arnaud said. “Just a student trying to learn more about game-calling and pitching and catching and hitting.”
To his teammates, he’s so much more. He’s a friend and a leader. He’s an important part of the organization.
And to any player, he’s an inspiring example.
“Remember who you are, where you’re from and why you started playing in the first place,” d’Arnaud said of his advice to others. “I think if you have that thought in your heart at all times, good things are going to happen more often than bad things.”
Everyone has a different journey.
“Some are easier than others, some are smooth sailing, some have bumps in the road, some of us, our journey comes to a complete stop, and then it restarts again,” Pillar said. “So it’s cool to see someone that didn’t necessarily take the easy path to getting 10 years. It should encourage guys like myself, other guys in this clubhouse, that it’s not always going to be an easy journey, but through perseverance, belief in yourself, maybe finding the right opportunities, maybe a different role, and equally as important is being a good human, being a good teammate, is gonna allow you to have a little more up and downs in your career.
“And I think Travis’ (journey) has proven that you don’t have to be a bona fide All-Star to reach 10 years. You can have a lot of success in this game.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
