The Boston Red Sox have come all the way back down to earth after a scorching run to get the team back into playoff positioning.
Boston has gone 3-7 over its last 10 games overall, dropping three straight series in the process. It has been a tough go of things for the Red Sox of late, seeing their massive win streak quickly evaporate.
The Red Sox are now gearing up for a crucial series against the Arizona Diamondbacks as the team looks to get back on track. Boston will be hosting Arizona at Fenway Park, potentially giving them a chance to turn things around in this series.
Jarren Duran Decision Announced vs Pirates
But ahead of the first game, Boston has revealed the lineup for the contest. Within it, the Red Sox will be without star Jarren Duran.
Red Sox 8/17
J. Jones DH
C. Rafaela CF
W. Abreu RF
W. Contreras 1B
A. Rutschman C
C. Durbin 3B
A. Monasterio SS
E. White LF
N. Sogard 2BA. Gamboa SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 17, 2026
Duran has been a problem offensively all season long, with many around baseball wondering what happened to him. Overall, the outfielder is hitting just .203 with 16 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .615.
The Red Sox have been trying to work with Duran to fix his bat all year, but to this point, nothing has worked. But the organization isn’t giving up on the veteran, hoping that he can finally break through.
Due to Duran’s struggles, the Red Sox’s offense has been a little inconsistent at times. But Boston was able to overcome his problems during their incredible run.
However, with the playoffs looming, the Red Sox may need Duran to figure it out at the plate. Boston wants to not only get into the postseason, but potentially make a run once there.
For now, the team will focus on the Diamondbacks, taking things one game at a time. But the clock is ticking on Boston to remain consistent on the field, and a lot of this falls back on Duran to deliver in the manner that the team knows he can.
How Bad is the Adley Rutschman Problem?
One other issue for the Red Sox over the last few series has been the play from new catcher Adley Rutschman, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline. Rutschman was supposed to bring some new life to the catcher spot, but he has struggled in his first few games with Boston.
The All-Star catcher has played in five games for the Red Sox, with him slashing .059/.273/.059. Rutschman has recorded no extra-base hits and just one hit total in 17 at-bats.
After another tough performance, he spoke to the media about the issues at hand.
“Just trying to stay with my process, not make any drastic changes,” Rutschman said to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
“Bottom line. I want to perform for these guys and come out here and be able to do what I do, but at the end of the day . . . you really have to stick with [process] or else baseball is a game of failure and can get you in a bad mind-set quickly.”
The Red Sox traded a lot of pieces for Rutschman, and if he can’t deliver for them down the line, this team could be in some trouble. But like Duran, Boston is hopeful that the star can get things going, giving this unit a massive boost for the stretch run.
Red Sox Announce Jarren Duran Decision Before Diamondbacks Series