Red Sox

Adam Duvall earns MLB honor after historic start with Red Sox

Duvall is the first Red Sox player to record six extra-base hits in their first three games with the team.

By Conor Ryan

April 3, 2023

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Adam Duvall made an immediate impact in his first series with the Red Sox, batting .571 with eight hits, two home runs and eight RBI over three games against the Orioles.

For his scorching start at the plate, Duvall was named the American League Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. 

The 34-year-old outfielder came up clutch to hand Boston its first win of the season on Saturday, blasting a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift Boston to a 9-8 victory at Fenway. It was Duvall’s second homer of the evening against Baltimore.

Duvall continued to rake at the plate during Sunday’s 9-5 win, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and driving in a pair of runs. The former Atlanta Braves slugger put himself in Boston’s record books during its opening series, becoming the first Red Sox player to record six extra-base hits in their first three games with the team.

Duvall is also one of four players in team history to drive in at least eight runs in the Red Sox’ first three games of a season, joining Brock Holt (eight RBI, 2016), Bobby Doerr (nine RBI, 1941), and Ted Williams (nine RBI, 1942).

The Red Sox’ offense has been dominant to open the season, scoring nine runs in three consecutive games for the first time in franchise history. Boston boasted a team batting average of .327 against the Orioles.

“We’re going to put the ball in play,” Alex Cora said postgame on Sunday. “Today wasn’t the greatest day for exit velocity, but we put the ball in play when it mattered. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish. That’s why be bunted early in the game, just to add on, trusting that we will put the ball in play. We ran the bases really well today, a few good reads on soft liners. It’s just, the quality of the at-bats, the guys that we have — [Masataka] Yoshida, [Alex] Verdugo, even [Rafael Devers]. He swings and misses, but when it matters he’ll put it in play. 

“[Justin Turner’s] at-bats. And then Adam, who has power, he puts it in play. From top to bottom, we believe we’re going to put pressure on the opposition. There’s certain days that it isn’t going to work, but we will grind and do what we’ve done over the weekend.”