ATLANTA — In the first inning of Game 5 of the 2021 World Series, Adam Duvall stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and made Atlanta Braves history.
His grand slam was the second-ever hit by a Brave in the World Series, and the first Brave to hit one in the first inning of a World Series game.
The historic slam may be the biggest of his eight-year career so far.
Duvall was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and played for the University of Louisville before being drafted in the 11th round of the 2010 draft by the San Francisco Giants.
Four years later, he got his shot in the Major Leagues, homering in his first game off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake. He hit just .192 in 73 at-bats for the Giants that season.
The next year, he was traded to the Reds for Leake, the first of three times he has been traded in his career.
With the Reds in 2016, Duvall was an all-star and had a break-out season with 33 home runs and 103 RBI.
He had another 30-homer season the next year, and in 2018, he was traded to the Braves for the first time.
Duvall sputtered in his time with the Braves in 2018, recording more strikeouts than hits in 53 at-bats. He was underwhelming in 2019, bouncing back and forth between the big-league and minor-league rosters. In the 2019 playoffs, however, he hit a big home run in Game 2 of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals.
He was third in the National League in home runs during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and was released during the offseason.
The Marlins picked him up, and his power was back in force in 2021. He hit 22 homers for the Marlins before being traded to the Braves on July 30 in exchange for Alex Jackson. His 113 RBIs between the Marlins and Braves in 2021 led the National League.
In his second stint with the Braves, he now has his biggest moment.