Just when the Boston Red Sox needed to win a series, the team took two of three games from the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park.
Boston had been spiraling a little prior to the matchup with Arizona, but this had to feel good. The Diamondbacks have been one of the better teams in the National League over the last few weeks, so grabbing the series was huge.
Now, the Red Sox are gearing up for a three-game series with the San Francisco Giants, giving them a chance to get some wins again. While no series in the MLB is easy, the Giants have been one of the worst teams in baseball this season, at least giving Boston a decent chance to take the series.
But the game is played on the field, and Boston will have to prove themselves once again. San Francisco does have some quality players, such as former Red Sox star Rafael Devers.
Jarren Duran News Announced vs Giants
Ahead of the series opener, the Red Sox have dropped the lineup for the game. Within, Boston will be hitting star outfielder Jarren Duran in the seventh spot.
Red Sox 8/21
N. Sogard 2B
C. Rafaela CF
W. Abreu RF
W. Contreras 1B
A. Rutschman C
C. Durbin 3B
J. Duran LF
A. Monasterio SS
M. Gasper DHS. Gray SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 21, 2026
The slugger hit in the eighth spot in the team’s last game against Arizona. He had been dropped recently after batting seventh for much of the year.
Duran has been a highly talked-about player for the Red Sox this season due to his ongoing struggles at the plate. Overall, the former All-Star is hitting .206 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .622.
Boston has been able to withstand the issues of Duran, but for this team to reach its ceiling, they may need him to get going. Duran has been trying everything to break out of the slump, but nothing has worked this year.
Some have pointed to Duran playing in the World Baseball Classic ahead of the regular season, but it remains unknown whether this is the cause. But multiple guys around the league who played in the tournament have seen down years, potentially hinting at a reason.
Nonetheless, Duran is too talented a player to keep struggling at the plate, and something will have to give soon. If Duran can’t turn things around, the Red Sox could look to make a major decision on him once the offseason hits.
Should Red Sox Trade Jarren Duran?
Duran has been involved in trade rumors over the last few seasons, including at the deadline this year. Boston could elect to sell low on the former All-Star, with multiple teams interested in his services.
The slugger still has two more years of being arbitration-eligible, giving the Red Sox a tough decision to make. While trading him could make sense, the team could also keep him around, hoping that he could turn back into the star he was prior to this season.
For now, the focus will be on trying to turn things around, helping the Red Sox go after another World Series title. But there seems to be some big changes potentially coming to the organization once the year ends.
Red Sox Announce Jarren Duran News Before Giants Series