Amongst all the different offseason discourse, a query looms giant: “What’s the perfect factor to do about Jarren Duran?” The Sox simply came to an agreement on a new salary number with him, however there’s nonetheless a particular likelihood he will get traded away. Would preserving him make extra sense, or would buying and selling him be the higher thought?
There are professionals and cons to each. Duran does have a really devoted fanbase that will be devastated if he left. He brings a variety of fireplace and coronary heart to the workforce, and the celebratory Wally Head (who has opted for free agency) was his thought. When he’s good, he’s phenomenal.
However Duran wasn’t as much as his All-Star type final yr in comparison with 2024, and it confirmed. He stole considerably fewer bases this previous season than the season earlier than, which was odd given how famend he’s for his pace. His outfield protection continues to enhance in sure methods, however was lackluster at key moments. And whereas the membership likes to speak about him being a “chief”, it’s not particularly evident what his management model is, or how that has benefited the remainder of the workforce.
So we will hope 2025 was an “off” yr and that 2026 will see a extra classic Duran. Buying and selling him, nonetheless, might yield items the workforce wants. The Purple Sox outfield is already overcrowded, and of all of the outfielders to commerce, Duran is your greatest (and perhaps solely) choice, apart from presumably Masataka Yoshida, who barely performed within the outfield in any respect final season and doesn’t have a lot commerce worth anyway. Craig Breslow simply mentioned he’s not specializing in four-and-five starters, however buying and selling Duran for a mid-rotation starter could possibly be a terrific thought. A brand new bullpen piece would additionally profit the workforce. It could be more durable to commerce Duran for somebody with extra slug, however that’s what the entrance workplace can use the free company pool for.
It’s of venture both approach, as a result of you must guess on Duran both being higher subsequent yr, or whoever the Sox commerce Duran for being value it. Personally, I’m sort of detached. After this previous season, I solely need him again on the workforce if he’s going to be higher, at the least offensively. However what do you assume the workforce ought to do?
