Adam Duvall remains unsigned a few weeks into Spring Training. That was also the case last offseason. It wasn’t until March 14 that the veteran outfielder inked a $3MM contract with the Braves.
Duvall is evidently seeking a similar or better deal this time around. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reports that the 36-year-old has informed teams that he intends to retire unless he’s guaranteed at least $3MM. To that end, Sherman writes that Duvall declined an offer from the Royals that would’ve come with a $1MM guarantee and another $1MM in performance bonuses.
A $3MM contract isn’t much by major league standards, but Duvall is coming off a much worse season than he was when he signed for that amount last spring. The right-handed hitter had a personal-worst .182/.245/.323 batting line over 330 plate appearances. The Braves kept him on the roster all season but dramatically curtailed his playing time as the year progressed. Duvall started 61 games before the All-Star Break but was in the opening lineup on only 13 occasions in the season’s second half. Atlanta left him off their Wild Card roster.
That’s in marked contrast to his productive 2023 campaign while a member of the Red Sox. Duvall popped 21 homers with a .247/.303/.531 slash through 353 trips to the plate two seasons back. While his strikeout and walk numbers were more or less unchanged year over year, his ground-ball rate jumped by 11 percentage points. Duvall’s average exit velocity ticked down by almost two miles per hour. That unsurprisingly impacted his power production, as he managed only 11 homers in nearly as much playing time as he’d had with Boston.
To his credit, Duvall remained productive in a platoon capacity. He hit .252/.341/.514 with eight of his home runs in 123 plate appearances against left-handers last year. His numbers against righties (.143/.188/.219 with three homers in 207 PAs) were unplayable, but he could perhaps contribute if used more selectively. Kansas City was evidently willing to give him a major league roster spot for that role, presumably as a platoon partner for lefty-swinging left fielder MJ Melendez. Their offer wasn’t to his liking, however.
Duvall has played in parts of 11 MLB seasons. He has a little less than nine years of big league service time. Baseball Reference has calculated his career earnings just north of $27MM. While it’s easy to understand teams’ reluctance to match or top last year’s salary after the season he just had, Duvall has banked a lot of money and seems not to be interested in playing for marginally more than the $760K league minimum at this stage of his career.
Brandon Belt seemingly took a similar approach last winter (when he was coming off a much better season than Duvall is). He reportedly declined an incentive-laden offer from the Mets and wound up sitting out the season. Belt hasn’t made an official retirement announcement, but there was nothing to suggest that he was seeking opportunities this offseason. Anthony Rizzo recently told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that while he wants to continue his career, he has rebuffed interest from teams that “want (him) to play for basically league minimum.” Rizzo, who said he’s concerned that taking what he considers to be an offer below his value could contribute to a precedent that hinders other veteran players, remains a free agent.
Good luck
Time for a Pawn Stars meme
Best I can do is a ticket to spring training and another ticket home in 3 weeks?
Whit Merrifield got $8 million from DUMBrowski a year ago so why not?
Just retire. Three Million? Haha.
I demand that you pay me money that you do not want to pay me; otherwise, I shall retire from your team that I’m not on.
It’s nice to want things.
What does Verdugo want? Some good, not great players, are still available. Teams are going to younger and cheaper more and more. Don’t care about experience
Verdugo wants enough to be able to protect his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and maybe buy some new shoes with buckles and a pair of suspenders.
Pronk – Now don’t be silly, Dugie doesn’t care about shoes and suspenders.
What he wants is another hugely fat gold chain and a huge diamond studded gold pendant of whatever number he wears next.
Pronklington – Verdugo needs to get some more tattoos on his hands.
Verdugo wants enough to be able to protect his pot of gold
====================
And a 10 pound gold chain.
Talk about overplaying your hand. He’s lucky to get a job.
He’s not really overplaying his hand when he says “guarantee me x or I’ll retire.” He’s clearly fine with the latter if he doesn’t get the guarantee he feels is worth going through the length of a season.
There is an arrogance to his statement. Take me at $3 mil or I”m going home. Enjoy retirement dude. Never anyone I would pay to see.
Buh-bye
Last yr he started 13 games in the second half. Its pretty good money to sit around. They get additional money from product licensing and such as well.
Because he has a price he thinks is worth continuing to play, he’s arrogant? He’s letting teams know what they have to do if they want him, then the teams get to make that final call. I’m sure he’s well aware he’s most likely headed to retirement.
No, he’s issuing an ultimatum.
So exactly what I said but with a negative spin on it. Yes, it’s an ultimatum and an ultimatum he is fine with teams deciding on. If this story hadn’t been published and he simply rejected multiple contracts and retired none of you would have said a word in his retirement post.
It’s a rather absurd ultimatum. I’m Duvall take me at $3 million or I’m taking my toys and going home.
true that’s why it was not worth posting. If he did not play this year you think anyone would have noticed? again, another reason absurd ultimatum.
Best of luck in retirement. Solid career.
When you have a year like that, take any offer you get to prove yourself again.
With those numbers, he’s barely worth a million dollars…
Why should he take just any offer? He is clearly fine with retirement, if that’s the option presented to him. He has a price that’s worth playing for, and lesser pay obviously is not piquing his interest.
He should take the offer because he is almost at 10 years of MLB service, kicking in $275.ooo a year pension. Right now he’s at $137,5000 per year.
Old 4th OF types don’t have leverage. A deal similar to Tauchman or see if someone in the private sector offers you low 7 figures post-MLB career. Enjoy another year in the sun before no one calls.
cws – Agreed!
I’m just happy they finally wrote about him, I mentioned him about 7 times over the past month.
I’ll always wonder what kind of season he would have had in Boston if he hadn’t gotten injured so early.
Who exactly in the private sector would pay Adam Duvall over $1mm? To do what?
Likely no one-that’s the point. When vet players on their last legs act insulted that no one will offer big bucks “just because”, be self-aware that the real world is different for most unless they start or invest in a next chapter business.
He’s going to make more than a million a year just in interest with a random safe investment, assuming he hasn’t squandered his career earnings. He sure doesn’t need to work or start a business.
Thats not how things play out. How their investments may or may not do.
teams are lining up for a low .200 hitter coming off one of his worst seasons. At 35, he is at best back of the bench hitter who can fill in defense when needed that strikes out 32% of time.
He should be asking for $6m nowadays since he can hit more than 10hrs
Age 36. He is lucky anyone cares.
Guess its father time !! congrats on a nice carrer Mr. Duvall
Take the $1M and incentives. It’s better than not playing.
-1.4 WAR year last year…congrats on a solid career I guess
Since he initially didn’t plan on retiring this year, he’s going to regret not taking the offer. He’s not young and he may not get another.
Not even the White Sox would offer more than a million dollars. He looks cooked at this point.
Is it though? The man has probably made enough money that, if financially responsible, he will never have to work a day for the rest of his life unless he wants to. He has decided that he is unwilling to give up 6 months away from his family in exchange for less than $3 million. I respect that. It is easy for someone without money to say take what you can get, but he doesn’t have to.
I get it but it’s also probably his last chance to sign a contract. I was more referring to that and still playing.
If he stinks or is truly cooked, it won’t be 6 months anyway.
Maybe it’s not. Otherwise he would have probably taken it. For that price, maybe he would rather hang out with his family.
Who does he think he is
Pham
Lolol coming off a down year to ask for 3 mill, is just too funny, good luck in retirement
I’m willing to take $250k but I know the players union wouldn’t like me undercutting them.
250k would be a king’s ransom to this career minor leaguer.
I had to work an offseason job in my day.
What offseason jobs did you have?
I did several different things over the years from a warehouse job to selling cars.
Adam Duvall is seeking three ma-million plus dollars?
I wonder if I’ll ever reach a point in life where I’d pass on $1M-$2M to play a game for 8 months of the year.
(I know I’m underselling the amount of work, physical pain, separation from kids/family, etc, that being a professional baseball player can involve, but still.)
Kids would you rather dad not travel and stay home or inherit a few extra million? It’s for only 1 more year.
Well, if was $1m before taxes. The second $1m was incentives that, based on last year, he likely feels are very questionable.
Depending where he chooses to play… that’s about a $600k payday, before the expenses of a second residence and the costs that go into living in the city to play for the team (ie likely lots of eating out)
We’re probably taking a couple hundred thousand in the bank, a literal drop compared to what he ought to have invested by this point.
I’d choose the family time over the cash in his position.
That’s a bad accountant, bad real estate deal, and a lot of eating out. Get a trailer or boat and cook at home. But 600 grand is 600 grand. Maybe he has bigger and or better plans. Maybe he hates baseball. If not doesn’t make sense. Make as much as you can as long as you can. Increase your pension. Get that playoff $. Maybe a ring. Big hit in world series makes you a team legend. Maybe come back do it again next year.
I’d never give this guy 3m. He would rather quit vs playing for 1 or 2 million? I want driven people. Any team that would sign this guy is stupid.
People really don’t understand how money grows passively for the rich. He’s earned $27M. He’s probably making millions a year in passive income already. If he lives another 40 years, his kids are going to inherit several hundred million dollars if he sits on the couch the rest of his life.
Supposing he has a mere $20M saved right now, 6% compounding interest over 40 years makes $219M. Double that if he lives 50 years.
Duvall is such a yokel. Him and Hunter Renfroe probably go cow-tipping together in the offseason.
This is true for investors and business owners… athletes on the other hand… now having said that Duvall may be the kind of guy to have things in place but just look at all the pro athletes who have gone bankrupt! lol
It getting to be tiring of teams hoping that said player would hit what said player hit two season ago aka Mariners with there dumpster diving signing in wong, polanco, Pollock, La Stella, Garver
Why not Braves? Roll the dice on him again.
Because braves don’t have a idiot for a gm. Maybe no team is stupid enough to give him more than 3 million.
Braves wouldn’t pay $1m for Duvall.
1m could be a good deal. 800 something ops vs LHP last year. Repeat of that is worth more than 1m. He’s a name Atlanta fans know. But he could be toast. Hit data was alarming. Injury or toast?
Canha Tauchman safer better options imo. Or splurge on Grichuk.
Give Pillar a call.
LOL. Your idiot GM signed him last year for 3m.
He was worth 3m last year. If he could do the same this year he would be worth it. Not a good bet for him to do the same though.
Good look with that buddy. Paying the league minimum would be to much
Would be ok. He hits LHP still. Probably can still play defense.
Duvall may need to be very motivated to take what comes his way. Hard to demand with a WAR last year of -1.4. Article also mentions Rizzo. I loved his time in Chicago and wished he could end on a stronger note. He only had a WAR of 0.2 in 2024. If he’s unwilling to understand his place/role at this time in his profession and turns down league minimum or low offers, he too may need to retire and call it a good career. Mahalo
Teams shouldn’t even be looking at his war as it tells them absolutely nothing.
Aloha YourDream, I agree that WAR is not the be all to end all metric. With Rizzo though his reliability, durability comes into play now. He’s slowed down quite a bit and there’s always the concern about his back acting up. He may have to settle for a very team friendly deal with incentives, a prove it contract as some might call it. But he shouldn’t expect the type of money he received last year. Take care now. Mahalo
Rizzo war might be fine. Problem is with Duvall. War measures all his abs. Teams would only be paying for his abs vs LHP. Last year he hit like a all star vs LHP. Have doubts he can keep doing that and seems teams do as well.
LMFAO
I like your account name 🙂
Fly away vampire. Fly away.
Time to look over seas or down south..
Balls on him, he deserves league minimum
“MLB Trade Rumors would like to congratulate Adam on a wonderful career and we wish him all the best in life after his retirement from baseball. “
Best to hang up the gloves if you think you’re even worth a Major League deal.
If 3m is his number, it’s his number. I get it. He’s made enough in his career that he doesn’t need to play. I’d probably say the same thing if I was in his shoes.
I’m not sure he’s going to find a team, though.
Duvall has almost 9 years of service time. I would think that he would take any deal this year, and hope to reach the 10 year mark to fully vest into the pension. but I am not an MLB player, so what do I know?
I was coming here to ask that. Why not play for a million so that the pension checks start to roll in? He must not have a great financial planner….
He still gets a League stipend, just 9/10ths-ish of a Full Pension. Fyi- you start earning a pension after 43 days on an Active Roster.
Players take pride in hitting the full 10 years. I am also a Padres fan.
Nothing wrong with having a price in mind. If he’s comfortable drawing a line and living with the decision on either side, good for him.
Still, seems hard to look at a guaranteed MLB job and not take it.
Players should be aware that there are only 780 roster slots available Every season. If teams fill those rosters and say ten players break camp as rookies, that has just forced ten veteran players into retirement unless they accept a minor league assignment, hoping for an opening. If an opening never happens, the players should retire since the older they get, the more their value drops through subpar seasons, teams don’t need or want them any longer. Since players are demanding more and more, teams are forced to cut veterans for the youth and that is a situation the MLBPA created. Players that aren’t stars get what teams want to give them and NO player in their late thirties will be given what the players demand. They just say sorry, enjoy your retirement.
So that’s why we need expansion teams right? More slots available for guys like Duvall, Rizzo, Billy Hamilton, Mike Ford , etc. Might be good for the Players Union. We could watch guys play into their 40s. Might be kind of fun!!!!
Me too
I don’t understand this logic. Profar took a $1M contract, proved it on the field, got rewarded as a FA. Rizzo and Duval are older, but….I guess it’s a lot of work, and they want more for it.
Entitled hillbilly
I like Duvall but at this point a minor league deal is probably the best he can hope for
Is the KC $1mm deal plus incentives still on the table? If so, Duvall clearly can do better than a minor league deal.
Since that is the only offer we have heard on Duvall all winter, and we don’t even know when it was made, that’s not entirely true. Maybe he can do better but he’s going to have to wait for an injury or an underperformance somewhere to find out
Lol me too bro. Me too.
Yes, please retire
Perfect fit for the Phillies roster in my opinion. Maybe on a ML deal and potential to earn 2M or so… He isn’t what he used to be but I’d trust him coming in to PH and getting some starts against tough left handers.
It comes down to whether or not Duvall really wants to continue playing.
At his age, coming off his dismal 2024 season, he really shouldn’t have turned down any big league deal.
He doesn’t want to play anymore. Give me my unrealistic demands or I retire. See ya
He sign yet?
Well……bye.
“I suck at baseball but 1 million dollars to play the kids game for a living is insulting”
I’m looking forward to the official retirement post in a few days
Since he has made over $27M in pre-tax dollars, he is exercising his right to let us know the shine has long been off this whole baseball player thing.
It isn’t worth his time anymore unless he is really, really overpaid.
Belt, Rizzo and Duvall should have a retirement party together and commiserate about how much they think they are worth, but how little they were offered.
This feels more like a “I’m retired, and anything less than $3 million won’t pull me out of retirement” rather than him thinking he’s worth more than he is.
…….and I want Cancer to be cured
So much for 10 years of service time and the benefits that come with 10 years of service time. Seems foolish to pass up $1 million and the tenth year of service time.
If Jose Quintana got $5 million, Adam should get about $10.
I think that he is saying it will take 3 mil to get him on a baseball field again.
You might be right and in which case…retire because as a team front office I don’t want someone who’s only in it for the $… as much as I like him… if he wants to play take the potential $2M deal with incentives. That’s a team that wanted you and the #’s you put up last year don’t deserve more
Enjoy Golfing!
Below average players wanting guarantees 3x as much as a rookie who could also be below league average.
League min plus incentives isn’t a low-ball when you crapped the bed last year or years.
I would want more too and would milk as much as I could but I think I would take most anything to continue to get paid to go to the ball park. But I’m just a guy, things may look different after playing as long as these guys have
These type of stories baffle me… a veteran who albeit has had a good career pots a season where they’d be lucky to get a job and then has an ego trip and demands more money. Like dude your career might be over and someone offers you potentially $2M with incentives and you “hold out” for $3M…. it makes me sad. As someone who would have loved to play any type of professional baseball as I’m sure all of us would… like it might be your last shot. And I like him…. he was fun enough to watch on the Red Sox… take the deal and hope you bounce back otherwise… it’s over for you and that seems sad.
He’d be a good veteran OF and possibly produce for Cincinnati once again, but not for $3 mil guaranteed. Non-roster invite with a chance to earn it with incentives? Maybe.
Ok. Sounds like he retired then.
To Any Athlete—By Grantland Rice
Why is it each is the last to find
That his legs are gone–that his eyes are bad
That the quicker refexes have left his mind,
That he hasn’t the stuff that he one day had,
That lost youth mocks, and he doesn’t see,
The ghost of the fellow that used to be??
How can they slip from the heights so far,
And never know that the day has gone
When their eyes were fixed on a rising star
With a firm foundation to stand upon?
How can they slip as the comets fall
And read no writing upon the wall??
Caught by a stride which they used to beat-
Nailed by a punch that they used to block-
Trailing the flurry of flying feet,
But dreaming still of the peaks that mock-
Each is the last to learn from fate
That his story is finished-and out of date.