The Braves have released first baseman Lucas Duda, Grant McAuley of Braves Radio Network tweets.
It’s an unceremonious ending to the second Braves tenure for Duda, who signed a minor league contract with the team Aug. 5. Duda was previously a Brave in 2018, when they acquired the slugger from the Royals almost exactly one year ago (Aug. 29). While Duda was a useful bench piece for the Braves then, albeit over only 22 plate appearances, he didn’t make it back to the majors with the club this summer. The 33-year-old instead posted hideous numbers across 68 PA as a member of Triple-A Gwinnett, with which he batted .140/.235/.211.
At his best, Duda was a legitimate power threat with the Mets and Rays from 2014-17. Aside from an injury-limited 2016, he piled up at least 27 home runs in each of those seasons – including 30-HR campaigns to bookend that four-year span. Duda hasn’t been anywhere near as formidable at the plate over the past couple seasons, though. After settling for a minors deal with the Royals in late March, the lefty-swinging Duda stumbled to a .171/.252/.324 line with four homers in 119 PA before they released him July 29.
He was probably not going to be on the roster anyway but he is lucky he does not have to be part of an organization who will collapse twice in a decade.
Too bad, he could have had a chance at a AAA title though!
AllOurGods, is that you?
Yep. I like my new name better! More fitting to the team on the field!
You need to get a life
I’ll get one by the end of September. Not like the Braves will be playing in October.
Only a true Braves fan could have this much ire.
Are you a Seer?
Are you having reoccurring dreams that always end with you waking up to the words AAA title? Maybe also collapse?
No, but I see reoccurring failure every year since 1995, however, my distaste starts from 2010 on. Whether it was 2011 collapse, 2012 infield fly game, 2013 failure, a rebuild that amounted to nothing but Soroka but no ace, 2018 failure, and most likely another failure this year because they have questionable pitching. Knowing they will go the cheap route again in 2020 eggs me on..
I always find you humorous & entertaining but also annoying but you do make a good point. The rebuild was sold to us Brave fans thru pitching prospects.
Other than Soroka where are they ???
All we heard was how we fleeced the Dbacks for Touki well where is he ???
I am still pissed off bout the deadline
WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN GREINKE
I agree but clearly, the Braves are in the “we are not ready to spend” mode. I wonder when that arbitrary “we are ready” year will be? Clearly winning the division last year was not enough to spend to go for it this year. Maybe a collapse will?!
Sadly, they will likely bring back Teheran and settle for another mediocre rotation next year filled with at least another rookie who will be on an innings limit, lack of experience excuse and whatever other excuses they will find next season.
nobody knew how any of those guys would pan out.
and Fried hasnt been too bad?
Folty
newcomb
and there are still some guys in the minors that look promising
Folty and Newcomb are lost causes right now. One is busy mismanaging his composure, the other is building forts in fortnite instead of learning to pitch consistently.
The point is you can’t rely on prospects to be the difference between a division title vs. WS ring.
They won’t spend, they won’t trade, then they won’t win a WS.
That’s just delusional, they brought in Josh Donaldson and Dallas Keuchel, needed the bullpen shored up and went out and got 3 well paid vets. Fried has been great and Folty was great last year, who knew he’d lose it this year? AA has done a great job.
As a Mariner’s fan, sometimes trading isn’t all that lucrative
Fried and Soroka are both up, Bryce and Touki have their growing pains, still seem to be forgetting about Anderson, Wright etc. pitching is volatile and that is why they loaded up on so many. You guys can’t have no faith and still call yourself a fan. You should instead do some research and acquaint yourself with the players in the minor leagues. Braves still have a top 3 farm due to the efforts of the “failed rebuild.” (The dame rebuild that produced Acuña and Ozzie). You say the braves haven’t spent but they have claimed Hamilton, signed keuchal, added salary in Greene and Melancon, added Hech, Cervelli. I’m not sure what more “win now” moves you guys could possibly want, but I am glad y’all are just losers in a forum rather than executives for sure
A starting pitcher. They did not get one. Not counting DK here. Braves are banking on Folty to flip the switch. After watching the Braves for 1 night in Toronto I came to the conclusion that if they do not hit they will go nowhere. This coming from a Blue Jays fan watching a game where Atlanta had numerous opportunities to pounce on Jays mistakes and didn’t. We can excuse it (partially) thanks to the injuries Markakis, Riley, Inciarte etc…but to claim you can’t be a fan if you have no faith is total bullcrap. Tell that to KC before 2014 or post-Bonds Pirate fans.
I love the “growing pains” argument. So your rainbow-filled outlook automatically means they will turn it around? None of these guys are great. With the way they are pitching, they are all mid-level pitchers. I don’t care about these guys. The Braves need an ace. They need somebody to go out there and win you game 1, or game 7 in the playoffs. Next year, relying on rookies again will put them right back to the problems of 2018. While you celebrate their potential, Ill wait for results.
The best signing this year is Cervelli because chances are they will resign him and I don’t have to see garbage like McCann and Flowers again in 2020. JD will be gone and I hope he is. I rather have an elite caliber player like Rendon in the lineup with Freeman, then a non hustling showboat in JD. Other than Freeman, the Braves don’t have a tier 1 hitter on the team in 2020.
Yes this has been mentioned a lot about the Mariners GM and his itchy trigger finger with trades that’s had more misses than hits. The current GM anyway.
You have to admit that Josh Donaldson and Dallas Keuchel kids look like they are going to be good. How much are they paying them?
What do you call the starting pitcher with the 2nd best ERA in baseball?
Donaldson has a higher WAR than Freeman, 8th in MLB in walks, most on the team, 17th in MLB in HR’s, top 10 in hard hit balls and 22nd in OBA and done most of this without anyone batting behind him to protect him. Maybe you missed him tagging up at 1st and HUSTLING allowed Freeman to score from 3rd.
Tier 1 hitter? What do you call Acuna? Ozzie? You do realize this is Acuna’s first full year and Ozzie’s 2nd?
The Braves are 6th in MLB in catcher WAR. Garbage?
So you watched 1:game of 162 and came to that conclusion? You must be a Good damn genius.
Which starting pitcher that was traded at the deadline would have given them an advantage over the Dodgers? 0!
There was not 1 starting pitcher available that would of been a difference maker against the Dodgers. There was 3 relievers though that have given the Braves a better bullpen than the Dodgers now.
Haha this guy has lost his mind what a moron
Yeah, picking on RAJ to hate is fourth-dimension-level mentally depraved. I guess he can console himself with the Falcons’ disappointment soon.
I still wish we could have signed Corbin after watching him carve up the Braves in 2018 with the dbacks.
Stealing Anibal & Zuke from the division champs was a very good sneaky move on rizzo’s part.
Perhaps good ole Lucas should retire?
Maybe, but people keep paying him to play a game. I’d ride that ship until no one at all will pay me. Minors, majors, independent. Japan, Korea… whatever
Dayton Moore calling his agent so he can take at bats from a younger hitter in 3…..2…….1……
He fell off the juice wagon.
What kind of forts is Newcomb building? Will fire extinguishers be part of his design?
So you watched 1:game of 162 and came to that conclusion? You must be a Good damn genius.
Which starting pitcher that was traded at the deadline would have given them an advantage over the Dodgers? 0!
There was not 1 starting pitcher available that would of been a difference maker against the Dodgers. There was 3 relievers though that have given the Braves a better bullpen than the Dodgers now.