There were already dozens of rumors about the Boston Red Sox moving one of their outfielders at this year’s trade deadline. Will those rumors come to fruition this winter?
Boston’s active roster lists six outfielders, including Masataka Yoshida, who has made 12 starts at designated hitter in his 15 games this season. On the grass, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, and Rob Refsynder all battle for playing time.
Leading the ship is Jarren Duran, who is the most accomplished of the group with an All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award and finished eighth in last season’s American League MVP voting.
Duran’s Position is Safe in Boston For Now
Despite the trade rumors, Duran remained with the Boston Red Sox past the deadline.
The San Diego Padres reportedly attempted to acquire the speedster, but the Red Sox declined an offer that included starting pitcher Dylan Cease, per a report from MassLive’s Sean McAdam. McAdam added that catching prospect Ethan Salas was also involved in a proposed trade package that would have sent Duran to San Diego.
Even though Duran survived the deadline without switching teams, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter is not convinced his position with the team for next year is guaranteed.
“The Red Sox have an obvious logjam in the outfield with Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and rookie Roman Anthony all vying for playing time,” wrote Reuter about Boston’s outfield situation. “Duran is the most logical trade candidate of the bunch in terms of value and remaining control. Flipping him for a controllable pitcher to bolster the starting rotation is something the Boston front office will need to seriously consider.”
To address the rotation, the Red Sox acquired right-hander Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for outfield prospects James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard. Lefty veteran Steven Matz is now a member of Boston’s bullpen after a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals, with the starter turned reliever reaching free agency at season’s end.
Which Teams Could Show Interest in Duran?
Duran’s multiple years of control make him a potentially valuable trade chip during the offseason. Following a breakout offensive season in 2024, Duran’s numbers have decreased this year, but he’s still performed 18 percent (118 OPS+) better than the league average hitter.
“He might not duplicate his 8.7-WAR season from a year ago, but Duran continues to fill up the stat sheet while providing quality defense in the outfield,” wrote Reuter. “He can be a game-changing leadoff hitter to a team looking to reshape its lineup, and his ability to handle all three outfield spots further widens his appeal to teams.”
The San Diego Padres may revisit a trade with the Boston Red Sox for Duran during the offseason, as the newly acquired Ramon Laureano is a free agent at season’s end, leaving a potential vacancy at one of the outfield spots.
Should the Chicago Cubs watch Kyle Tucker walk in free agency, Duran would not be the worst second option. Of course, that would be a frustrating result for the Cubs’ front office and fans, as they would prefer not to lose Tucker or relinquish top prospects in a deal for Duran.
Red Sox Predicted to Trade MVP Candidate During Offseason