Red Sox reportedly sign outfielder Adam Duvall to one-year deal

BOSTON — The Red Sox have added an outfielder to the mix, which will in turn help the infield come together. Boston reportedly signed outfielder Adam Duvall to a one-year deal on Wednesday.

Duvall is a solid defensive outfielder, winning a Gold Glove for his play in right field with the Braves in 2021. He played all three outfield positions for the Braves in an injury-shortened 2022 season, manning center field for 44 of his 86 games.

Adding Duvall will allow the Red Sox to move Kiké Hernandez back into the infield, where Boston has holes at shortstop and second base.

Duvall, 34, doesn’t hit for average, but he does have some pop in his bat. Though he had a down year last season, which was cut short because of a torn tendon in his wrist, Duvall led the National League with 113 RBIs in 2021. He hit a career-high 38 homers that season, which was split between the Marlins and the Braves, and had three more homers and 10 RBIs in the postseason during Atlanta’s run to a World Series crown.

Duvall has slashed .230/.289/.465 over his nine-year career, and he does strike out a lot, averaging 169 whiffs over 162 games. But his right-handed bat should serve well in Fenway Park, where Duvall has gone 6-for-18 in four career games. That includes a three-homer game in Boston during the 2020 season.

Boston’s pact with Duvall is reportedly for one-year and $7 million and could bump up to $10 million with performance bonuses, according to Craig Mish in Miami.

Duvall will make up a Boston outfield that includes free agent signee Masataka Yoshida in left field, Alex Verdugo in right, and Rob Refsnyder and Jarren Duran serving as depth pieces. Hernandez can now potentially take over at shortstop, with Christian Arroyo at second base — barring another addition by Chaim Bloom and company.