Boston Red Sox
“My dad and mom take a look at it sufficient for me. In order that they textual content me and go, ‘Did you get traded?'”
One thing’s acquired to offer with the Pink Sox’s outfield logjam.
Boston has 4 reputable impression skills within the outfield — Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran — however solely three beginning spots obtainable.
Barring accidents, a talented a part of that quartet will seemingly be relegated to reps at DH in 2026 — and that’s with out factoring in different gamers like Masataka Yoshida or Triston Casas who may very well be combating for those self same at-bats.
Duran, who’s each the oldest participant amongst these 4 gamers (29 years previous) and certain boasts the bottom upside defensively, may very well be the odd man out.
It’s extra a testomony to the remainder of the expertise round him that Duran — who posted a plus-11 defensive runs saved in 2025 — may nonetheless be the one bumped out of the outfield.
Speaking to reporters on Monday at Fort Myers, Duran stated the subject of being the crew’s main DH hasn’t been broached to him up to now.
“I haven’t heard something like that,” Duran stated of shifting to DH. “So I don’t know. However no matter they want me to do, I’m gonna do. I haven’t heard any talks like that, however wherever AC [Alex Cora] and the entrance workplace wants me, I’m gonna go do my greatest job. … I’d be the quickest DH within the league, in order that’s a begin.”
Duran added that taking part in with Rob Refsnyder — Boston’s de-facto fourth outfielder for the previous few years — braced him for a state of affairs the place his spot within the subject is probably not set in stone.
“He actually took me underneath his wing and type of taught me the way to come off the bench,” Duran stated. “And I feel that’s a very good strategy I can take to DH’ing — try to keep busy. Take a look at what pitchers are throwing. Take a look at the sequencing and stuff like that. So I type of owe some stuff to him for that.”
Whereas Duran — who posted a 4.7 WAR, hit 16 dwelling runs, and 84 RBI final season — might nonetheless provide loads of worth as a DH, the outfielder was additionally talked about in a number of commerce rumors over the offseason.
To this point, Duran stated that he hasn’t fretted over his identify sprouting up in commerce talks, though his dad and mom is likely to be one other story.
“I by no means take a look at that stuff,” Duran stated. “My dad and mom take a look at it sufficient for me. In order that they textual content me and go, ‘Did you get traded?’ I’m like, ‘You actually suppose I’m not going to inform you if I get traded? Come on.’ So, no, I by no means give it any two cents. It’s in God’s fingers and no matter occurs, occurs.”
“After which I type of inform them like, ‘Hey, you don’t have to be doing that. I’m going to let you already know if it occurs,’” he added. “After which they type of mellow down from there.”
Duran — who completed eighth in MVP voting in 2024 and posted a whopping 8.7 WAR — stated that he’s wanting ahead to placing the 2025 marketing campaign within the rearview mirror. His batting common dropped from .285 to .256, whereas his OPS sank from .834 to .774 within the span of a yr.
“I’m all the time dissatisfied in myself,” Duran stated. “I all the time really feel like I don’t do the perfect that I can do. And I really feel like I let the followers down generally or my teammates. But it surely’s a brand new yr. I simply gotta flush it and exit and do my factor. I are available each time and attempt to work my hardest. And I do know that my teammates and the followers understand that I’m all the time working my hardest, in order that’s all I can do.”
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