The Boston Red Sox are off to a worse-than-expected 9-13 start.
Much of this stems from the offense, as the Red Sox have scored just 89 runs through 22 games.
Many of the star players in Boston have been disappointing so far this season. However, none have been nearly as disappointing as center fielder Jarren Duran.
Playing in 17 of the possible 22 games, Duran has hit a terrible .164/.243/.254 slash line with just one home run and 10 runs driven in.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora thinks he knows why the former All-Star has been struggling.
Why is Duran of the Boston Red Sox Struggling?
Cora told the media, including Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, that it’s simple: he’s chasing pitches out of the strike zone.
“He was walking, right, the first week of the season,” Cora said before Monday’s game. “Him and Willson (Contreras), they weren’t getting hits, but they were walking. And now he’s not doing that.”
While Duran has never had an on-base percentage above .350, he has walked just six times in 74 plate appearances. That’s just not enough for Cora’s expectations.
Duran’s 34.5% chase rate is in the 24th percentile, according to Baseball Savant. This is an increase from 2025 (31.1%) and 2024 (28.1%) when he made an All-Star appearance.
His advanced metrics are also concerning. He ranks in the 18th percentile in expected batting average (.207), 20th percentile in expected weighted on-base percentage (.278) and 25th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.333).
This points to him not regaining his form unless serious changes are made to his approach. However, Cora believes he can get it going again.
“Kind of like slow it down, even a bunt or something,” Cora said. “Just get going. We need him to run the bases, do what he does. Hit one in the gap and stretch it out to a triple or one of those ground balls that get through and get to second and get the energy going. We need it as a group, he needs it as a player.”
Duran is capable of great play. The question is, can he get out of this slump before it’s too late for Boston?
What Is Duran Capable of?
Boston selected Duran in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of California State University, Long Beach. He would debut in 2021 for the Red Sox.
After an unimpressive first two seasons, he would break out in 2023. In 102 games, Duran hit .295 with eight home runs and an .828 OPS, along with 24 stolen bases.
He followed that season up with an elite 2024 season. In 160 games, Duran hit .285 with 21 home runs and an .834 OPS, along with 34 stolen bases. He would lead the American League in plate appearances, at-bats, doubles and triples.
Duran would accumulate 9.0 bWAR, make an All-Star appearance and finish eighth in AL MVP voting.
While he would regress a little in 2025, this season has been surprisingly tough for Duran. However, the 2024 season shows what he is capable of.
Duran will need to get out of this slump so he can be the catalyst once again for this Red Sox team before it’s too late.
Red Sox’s Cora Explains Struggles of Former All-Star