The Miami Marlins finally did something meaningful this offseason. Throughout the months after a surprise playoff berth, the newly designed front office has been relatively quiet. They have silently filled holes in the bullpen, but as time has progressed it looked more and more unlikely that a prominent move would be made. Today the “Bottom Feeders” signed prolific power hitter Adam Duvall for a cheap $2 million this year with options in the upcoming years for up to $7 million.

 

This move makes the most sense so far and here’s why:

 

The Marlins Lineup HAD No power

 

Last year, the Marlins were at the bottom of the league in home runs. This has been the case for many years, and signing a guy who hit 16 homers in a 60 game season won’t fix everything, but it will provide stability. The Marlins thrive with guys on base, and with a bat that pitchers now have to be consistently wary of, the likes of Starling Marte and Jon Berti will provide more value (aka more runs). Duvall bats from the right side where he slashed .248/.301/.532 in 2019. He has been a consistent force in every lineup he has been a part of, so don’t expect that to change in Miami.

 

Duvall Becomes “The Guy”

 

The Fish have had their “guys” over the past years. Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich come to mind, and although Duvall is not on their level, he outclasses every other hitter on the Marlins (except for Starling Marte) in almost every category. If he continues to put up the numbers he is capable of, he could help to ignite a young lineup towards a successful 2021 campaign.

He Fills the Outfield Hole

 

Debates have arisen recently as to who would be in RF on Opening Day. With Duvall there is no question. Not only is he offensively sound, he is extremely competent in the field, posting high defensive stats that overshadow other potential signings. 

 

Overall for Marlins

 

Adam Duvall is the perfect fit for this Miami roster. For months, I have consistently talked about how this lineup lacked the power to compete. This is finally a first step in the right direction.