NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES VS DODGERS

October 20, 2021

Adam Duvall

Dodger Stadium

Atlanta Braves

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. You guys have overcome a lot throughout this year. Is it kind of that feeling when you walk back in that clubhouse today just like it was with everything else you guys have overcome, you push that in the past?

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah, I mean, at this point in the year you got to take each game by itself. You can't think about what happened yesterday, good or bad, because the biggest game is today. And you can't look ahead of yourself. You can't look behind. You just got to focus on going out there and getting a victory today and just keep punching because this is the time of the year where everything matters, every out, every pitch, every hit, every run, every defensive play, it all matters. So we just got to keep playing our game and stay positive.

Q. How would you describe your manager's temperament and how does that influence what you guys do on the field?

ADAM DUVALL: Well, I mean, I think it's pretty even-keel and it's something that we all feed off of because if one thing goes wrong and the next thing you know it's the biggest deal, it's, that's not a good spot to be.

This is a long season. There's going to be ups. There's going to be downs. There's going to be plays that should have been made, things that should have been executed, and I think the biggest thing is just to stay even keel, not get too high, not get too low and focus on what you got to do in the next moment and be where your feet are and that's the biggest thing.

Q. I know you got hurt in Game 1 of the LCS of last year, but you were around the team and knew what they were going through. I think a lot of fans and media think last year was this kind of spectre looming over but do you guys see it the other way, that you learned from what happened last year and you can take it as a positive?

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah, you know, every year's different, new guys on the team, new personalities. That's what's fun is, you know, this team is different than last year and the ones prior to that and we have our own characteristic, our own personalities, our own ways of dealing with success, dealing with failure.

And I think this year has been a testament to how we have handled adversity and how we've turned the page and just kept grinding, kept working. And that's one of our mottos is just show up and work, show up and get better, show up, put your best foot forward, show up and compete, and that's what we've been doing and that's why we're at where we're at.

Like I said, this is the funnest part of the year, postseason baseball. It's not only a blessing to be a part of, but it's something cool for everybody to get to experience in that locker room and we're not taking anything for granted.

Q. Having now been Freddie Freeman's teammate for most of two years, was there anything different that you learned about him when you got here that maybe you didn't realize about him when you were on first base next to him or is there anything kind of behind the scenes that stands out?

ADAM DUVALL: I mean, I think just getting to see him play on a daily basis is the biggest thing. When you're playing against him you see what he can do and he has a good game against you, but when you see him do it each and every day it's like, man, it's pretty impressive to watch. It's pretty cool to be next to and get to compete with, and he's obviously a big part of why we're at where we're at.

His presence in the locker room is huge because he's another guy that doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. If he has a bad game you would never know it. That's important for all of us to be able to see because just the way he goes about it and carries himself, it's huge.

Q. I know there's seven years that separate you and Will Smith, but have you guys got to know each other over the years or spent some time together, just from being from Louisville?

ADAM DUVALL: Oh, you're talking about their Will Smith.

Q. I'm sorry. Yeah.

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah. Yeah, I know Will. I've hit with him in the off-season. And, yeah, he was a bit younger than me so I didn't play with him, but I've gotten to know him in the off-seasons.

Q. Speaking of some of those personalities, new personalities on this team, how would you describe Guillermo Heredia to someone who has not been around the team and doesn't know about his personality?

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah, I mean, that's, you know, when I said that, that was one of the first ones that I thought of because the energy that he brings every day is on another level and he helps keep us loose. He helps keep us in a positive mindset. And he kind of pulls a little bit extra out of you each and every day because when you've got a guy giving as much as he does, it makes you give just a little bit more and that's huge.

Q. You guys chased Buehler pretty early yesterday and the Dodgers have obviously had to use a lot of pitchers these first few games. How can that help you as the series progresses?

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah, we got to just keep grinding, keep punching, keep putting together good at-bats. Yeah, I mean, that's -- the goal is to always get them out early and get to the bullpen and we have been fortunate enough to be able to do that.

And I think that's the main thing, that's the main goal today, that will be the main goal tomorrow, put together good at-bats, be a tough out and have some stretches where you have some at-bats with runners on and that's what we've been able to do and we got to keep doing that.

Q. I haven't looked this up, so I apologize, but when you were with Miami earlier this year, did you face Huascar Ynoa in that timeframe when he was healthy?

ADAM DUVALL: I did, yeah, earlier in the season, yeah.

Q. What did you think of him when he was at his best, having to face him versus having him pitch for you?

ADAM DUVALL: Yeah, and even seeing it from center field, the biggest thing is not only when he gets ahead of hitters, but when his slider, when his slider's working like he needs it to, and that's when it's going almost straight down.

And being in center field I get a really good look at it and when it's going straight down, I mean, it's very, very tough on hitters. Even competing against him and seeing it, it's a really good slider and when it's on, he's pretty unhittable.