The Boston Red Sox have come back to life over the last two games, outscoring the Arizona Diamondbacks 20-5.
Entering the matchup with Arizona, Boston had looked a little lifeless, with the team dropping its previous three series. But it’s been so far so good for the Red Sox, and the team will be looking to go for the sweep on Wednesday.
Jarren Duran Decision Announced vs Diamondbacks
Ahead of the game, Boston has released the lineup for the game. Within it, star outfielder Jarren Duran will be hitting in the number eight spot for the Red Sox.
Duran returned to the lineup for Boston on Tuesday after being given the day off to open the series with the Diamondbacks.
Red Sox 8/19
N. Sogard 2B
C. Rafaela CF
W. Abreu RF
W. Contreras 1B
C. Durbin 3B
M. Gasper DH
A. Monasterio SS
J. Duran LF
C. Wong CP. Tolle SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 19, 2026
The All-Star outfielder went 1-for-5 in his return to the lineup yesterday, continuing his struggles this season. Duran has been one of the larger talking points around the Red Sox all year, with his bat just not coming together at all.
Some have pointed to him playing in the World Baseball Classic ahead of the season, but whatever it is, he will need to figure things out. The slugger is normally one of the more crucial pieces to the Red Sox lineup, and his issues have held the team back a little this season.
Overall, Duran is hitting .203 with 16 home runs and 61 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .612. Duran has also stolen 16 bases this year, showing some decent speed along the basepaths.
Boston has been able to overcome the problems with Duran so far, with the team going on a magical run before a few series ago. After a slow start to the season, the Red Sox have roared back and are now in a strong position to make the playoffs.
Can the Red Sox Get Into the Playoffs?
For Boston to get into the postseason, they’ll need to finish the year on a high note. Nobody will care what this team did in June or July if they can’t clinch a playoff spot.
All year, the Red Sox pitching staff has been excellent, but the offense was stagnant at first, leading to the team dropping games. But once the offense came to life, Boston started to win.
This is a squad that nobody in the American League will want to face come playoff time, due to its strong staff. With Sonny Gray, Payton Tolle, Ranger Suárez, and others in the rotation, Boston could have an edge over most teams.
Boston currently holds a record of 68-58 this season, sitting in third place in the AL East. The Red Sox are 4-6 over their last 10 games overall.
This team is only two games back of the New York Yankees for the second spot in the division, which could be massive for home-field advantage in a potential series. Boston is 7.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the division.
All in all, Boston is in a good spot as the month of August starts to wind down. But for this group, nothing is guaranteed, and they’ll need to continue playing well to get a postseason spot in a crowded field.
Red Sox Announce Jarren Duran Decision During Diamondbacks Series