The Boston Red Sox are the hottest team in MLB, and after a dominant series opener against the Athletics that saw them win 13-1, they’ve extended their winning streak to nine games.
Boston is 27-3 over its last 30 games, completely changing the trajectory of its season.
Yet, manager Chad Tracy decided to make some notable changes to the lineup that’s been working for Saturday’s contest.
Red Sox Announce Jarren Duran Change
After starting in the lineup for the bulk of Boston’s recent success, outfielder Jarren Duran is not in the starting lineup Saturday afternoon.
Instead, recently acquired Eli White will start in left field, Ceddanne Rafaela will play center and Wilyer Abreu will play right.
The Red Sox made several other notable tweaks as they welcome Willson Contreras back into the lineup. Jahmai Jones will bat leadoff and serve as the designated hitter, while Masataka Yoshida will get the day off.
Red Sox 8/8
J. Jones DH
C. Rafaela CF
W. Abreu RF
W. Contreras 1B
C. Durbin 3B
A. Monasterio SS
E. White LF
N. Sogard 2B
C. Wong CJ. Bennett SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 8, 2026
Duran’s 2026 Season
It hasn’t been the perfect year for Duran by any stretch, as he’s currently slashing .204/.361/.623.
However, he’s still managed to record 16 home runs and 60 RBIs across 108 games and 416 at-bats. Duran also admitted that he thought the Red Sox might release him before Monday’s trade deadline, saying he’s “statistically” the worst player in baseball.
But he’s happy to remain in Boston, at least for the rest of this season, as the Red Sox continue their playoff push.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to be released… I am the worst player in MLB statistically,” Duran said earlier this week. “I hate looking at the numbers, but when you’re going bad, you look at the numbers, and it was pretty obvious how bad I was… I’m just thankful that I have the opportunity to continue this run with this team and this organization, and hopefully make a playoff push.”
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