Former SF Giants slugger homers in four straight games with Boston Red Sox

Former SF Giants slugger Adam Duvall is having his second scorching-hot stretch of the season for the Boston Red Sox.

It's no secret that Boston Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall has long since made the SF Giants regret trading him in a package for starting pitcher Mike Leake back in 2015. Yet more than eight years after San Francisco parted with the right-handed hitting slugger, Duvall still seems to be reaching new highs. Duvall already won an American League Player of the Week Award earlier this season, but he seems to be gunning for the accolade once against after homering for the fourth consecutive game on Tuesday. In fact, Duvall has hit five doubles and seven home runs during his current nine-game hitting streak. Over that span, he has an unbelievable .472/.513/1.194 triple-slash.

Boston Red Sox center fielder Adam Duvall catches a fly ball against Atlanta. (2023) / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

While Duvall has been out for a significant portion of the season with an injury, he has still been among the Red Sox's best players. In just 70 games, Duvall is hitting .276/.337/.593 with 21 doubles and 18 home runs. He has also given manager Alex Cora plenty of defensive versatility this season, appearing at all three spots in the outfield.

Duvall was drafted and developed as a third baseman in the Giants organization. An 11th-round pick out of Louisville, Duvall showed off massive power throughout his minor-league career. However, an older prospect who most evaluators believed lacked the athleticism to be a solid defensive player; he was never ranked among the best prospects in the farm system by major outlets.

The Giants gave Duvall his first MLB action in 2014, rewarding him for an excellent season at Triple-A. He hit three home runs in 77 plate appearances but also struck out 20 times and was held to a .192/.234/.342 line. Young Matt Duffy locked down the Giants third base job the following season, blocking Duvall from reaching the majors. With San Francisco convinced he was not a viable defensive outfielder, they traded him alongside right-handed pitching prospect Keury Mella to the Cincinnati Reds for starting pitcher Mike Leake.

In Cincinnati, Duvall almost immediately became an everyday left fielder, showing off a surprising feel for the position. In 2016, his first full season in the bigs, Duvall hit 30 home runs and was an All-Star selection.

While injuries and strikeouts have limited Duvall from remaining an All-Star caliber player, he has morphed into a surprisingly adept outfielder, capable of playing all three positions, with impressive power. He has recorded at least 30 home runs in a season three times and blasted 16 bombs in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Former Giants general manager Bobby Evans was seemingly haunted by the decision to part with Adam Duvall. As Duvall became the power-hitting outfielder the Giants desperately needed in their lineup, San Francisco was unable to find a permanent solution. Several years later, Duvall remains a quality big leaguer with the Boston Red Sox and is still doing things that make SF Giants fans wish he was donning the Orange and Black.