FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Adam Duvall's time in center field has, to date, been rather brief. Over the course of his career, Duvall has played 722 big league games in the outfield, but only a little more than 10 percent of those -- 75 to be exact -- have come in center.
Nevertheless, the Red Sox have named Duvall as their starting center fielder, confident that some of the same skills he showed in corner outfield spots can successfully translate to center.
The move will require an adjustment, of course. Duvall will see the ball from a different perspective and even the most experienced outfielders can struggle with balls hit directly at them, as is often the case in center. There will be more ground to cover, too, so Duvall will have to show range as he patrols from left-center to right-center and everything in between.
But for Duvall, there's another factor to consider. Last year, when he began the season in center field, he found that it took more out of him physically than he had expected. In particular, he found that the additional ground to cover took its toll on his legs. And in turn, that impacted him at the plate. Duvall found that his base wasn't as strong and found it tougher to generate power with his swing.
The numbers starkly tell the story. In 43 games in center -- Duvall's workload was cut significantly by a wrist that injury caused him to miss most of the second half -- he slashed just .196/.265/.281 with two homers and 16 RBI. Meanwhile, while playing a more familiar left field, his numbers were far better: .239/.300/.576 with eight homers and 15 RBI in 28 games.
Meanwhile, the results in right field, though a smaller sample size (11 games) were also a contrast to his production in center. He had a .719 OPS in right, and hit as many homers (two) there as he did with much more playing time in center.
A year later, Duvall is aware of the splits, and cognizant that where he plays in the field can affect what he does at the plate. He's already developed a battle plan in response.
"From a leg standpoint, it's super important that you build them up,'' said Duvall. "That's what I did this offseason -- I ran a lot more than I ever have, in anticipation of playing center (here). I tried to put myself in the best position to be able to do that. (Playing center) is just more demanding on your legs. You have to make sure you're recovering, doing all the things that you need to do to bounce back the next day -- whether it's massage or different things like that. Taking care of the legs is important.
"From a base standpoint, you want to have your legs when you're hitting. If they're a little worn down, you don't want it to affect your plate appearances. That's why I put so much emphasis (this offseason) on building up the stamina in my legs.''
Over the winter, Duvall had a specifically designed workout to build up strength in his legs while also trying to improve his first-step quickness.
"Then, we'd finish up with stamina-type stuff like sled pushes or longer sprints,'' said Duvall, "trying to build up that tolerance for longer activity. That was the main thing and so far, it feels good.''
At the very least, Duvall is aware of what he's facing and the work he's done has him better positioned to hold up under the strain.
"Mentally, I'm a little more prepared for it,'' he said. "I have a little better understanding to help decrease the load a little bit.''
The Red Sox, too, are aware of the issue and have a plan to give Duvall some occasional rest. Rob Refsnyder is a more-than-capable defender in center, and when everyone is healthy, the Sox have the luxury of shifting shortstop Kiké Hernandez to center, too. And while they might not want to entrust center to Alex Verdugo for an extended stretch, he could capably fill in there on occasion to provide Duvall with some rest.
"He's up to the challenge,'' said Alex Cora of Duvall. "He did a few things speed-wise to be better in center and with his all-around game. But we'll take care of him, obviously. We can move him around when we need to. We're just happy that he's here. We know that he can impact the baseball and pull the ball in the air, so hopefully, center field doesn't wear him down too much.'
"I'm going to go out there and do whatever they ask to the best of my ability,'' Duvall said. "I enjoy the grind.''