Amid a tumultuous season, Jarren Duran is starting to take off at perfect time for Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
“I’ve mentioned a lot about him and how talented I think he is.”
Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran didn’t mince words on Tuesday when asked about his standing with the Red Sox in the immediate aftermath of MLB’s trade deadline.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to be released,” Duran told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe on Tuesday. “I am the worst player in MLB statistically. I hate looking at the numbers but when you’re going bad, you look at the numbers and it was pretty obvious how bad I was. I thought I was going to be released.”
The numbers validate Duran’s blunt criticism of himself.
It might have been asking a lot for Duran to replicate the 9-WAR season he put together in 2024.
But, the talented outfielder has been a net negative at the plate for a majority of the 2026 season, with interim manager Chad Tracy pushing the once-dynamic leadoff man further down Boston’s order once the summer months arrived.
Just last week, Duran’s campaign seemingly hit a low point after his bizarre outburst against either teammate Willson Contreras or third-base coach Chad Epperson during a road game against the Athletics. It was a tough look for Duran, further compounded by the fact that he left that game batting just .195 — the worst batting average among qualified big-league hitters.
“I [expletive] suck,” Duran said after that game in Sacramento. “Of course I’m [expletive] pissed at myself. I can’t even do a [expletive] job for this team.”
Amid those on-the-field distractions, downturns in production and trade rumors surrounding a seemingly distressed asset, the Red Sox still made the call to hold onto Duran this week for Boston’s stretch run.
Perhaps it was relief brought upon by avoiding the transaction wire on Monday. Maybe it’s an inevitable result of sharing a dugout with a red-hot ballclub that’s now 30-5 in its last 35 games.
Or perhaps luck has just fallen on Duran’s side for the first time in a long time this season.
Whatever the case may be, Duran seems to be showing some signs of life — just at the perfect time for a Red Sox team that can use his pop and game-changing speed on the basepaths.
Duran was one of the conduits that helped fuel Boston’s seventh-straight victory on Wednesday — going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, stolen base, and run scored en route to a 4-0 win over the White Sox.
Boston’s scorching stretch — including a franchise-best 25-3 run since July 3 — has seemingly rubbed off on Duran, who is now batting .341 with an .856 OPS over his last 12 games.
“He’s looked good, really since the tail end of Oakland,” Tracy said of Duran after Wednesday’s win. “You saw the at-bats start to turn. Obviously, swung the bat very well in L.A., and he’s swung the bat great here.
“So I’ve mentioned a lot about him and how talented I think he is, and … the spurts that Jarren can go on when he gets good … he looks compact and looks very confident right now.”
Duran’s approach at the plate and ability to set the table atop Boston’s lineup have left a lot to be desired this season. But his 0-to-60 acceleration hasn’t waned amid his struggles this season, giving Boston a unique weapon to utilize when he can get on the basepaths.
That was evident on Wednesday, with Duran looking like his vintage self in the bottom of the fourth inning after legging out a double off of a screaming liner that careened into no-man’s land after ricocheting off one of Fenway’s many quirky corners.
Duran showcased his skills once again in the seventh, manufacturing some much-needed insurance for Boston.
After opening the inning with a single into left, Duran swiped his 17th base of the season, advancing all the way to third after a throwing error from Chicago catcher Drew Romo.
Shortstop Andrew Monasterio then lofted a fly ball into shallow left field — enough for Duran to tag up from third and slide into home to give Boston a 3-0 lead at the time.
Duran could be forced into more of a DH role down the stretch if Roman Anthony eventually returns to the lineup.
But, he can still make good on a tumultuous season if he continues to bring some power and speed further down the lineup, with his wheels in particular giving Boston a sizable edge when the margins become even smaller and runs are harder to come by in October.
Granted, Boston is still a ways off from outright punching its ticket to the postseason.
Still, Wednesday marked the latest in a growing line of professional performances from Tracy’s club, with stout pitching (six shutout innings from Sonny Gray) and timely hits (including Wilyer Abreu’s ninth home run since the All-Star break) securing the Red Sox’ ninth series victory in a row.
Boston’s hopes of returning to the playoffs will become even more tangible if Duran continues to look like the player he’s been over the last two weeks.
“Just really, really good baseball,” Tracy said of Boston’s play over the last month. “I said it before the game. I mentioned everybody doing their job.
“And I mentioned when you get good starts, and in today’s case, timely hits. … We scored when we were supposed to, and our bullpen was lights out. So when you get that formula, and everybody’s doing their part, it’s led to this.”
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