Perhaps the only question remaining for the Boston Red Sox is what will happen with Jarren Duran. The team has a crowded outfield at the moment, and offloading him before the season could even things out among the group, and also give the Red Sox a chance to upgrade elsewhere.
Duran continues to be the subject of trade rumors, even though the rumors have not really gained much traction. In a recent trade piece by Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer, Rymer floats the idea of the Houston Astros acquiring Jarren Duran from the Red Sox.
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Should the Red Sox Trade Jarren Duran?
Even if the Red Sox don’t move Jarren Duran before the regular season, his trade market continues to be fascinating. Duran was an All-Star in 2024, and continues to be an extra-base hit machine for Boston.
Here is the reasoning Rymer gives for predicting the Red Sox to trade away Jarren Duran, and why the Astros are a good suitor:
“Though his $8 million salary reportedly gives them pause, the Astros have been a speculative fit for Duran all offseason. And they remain a good landing spot for him on paper, as they need a left-handed-hitting outfielder who adds new elements (i.e., power and speed) to the offense.”
GettyJarren Duran had another big year for the Red Sox in 2025 but could find himself playing in a different uniform next year.
Duran is really a good fit for a lot of MLB teams, and it’s still a little bit unclear entirely why the Red Sox may want to ship him away.
However, with the latest reports of Boston searching for a southpaw reliever, the other leg of this trade idea that would make sense is the Red Sox acquiring lefty reliever Bennett Sousa in this potential deal. Sousa boasted a 2.84 ERA over 50.2 innings pitched in 2025 with 59 strikeouts.
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Red Sox Outfield Outlook
Most Red Sox fans understand what they have in the outfield, which is a lot of options. Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela have seemingly certified spots, and then Wilyer Abreu is also thought to be in the mix with Duran.
Duran has proven over the last two seasons that he is an everyday outfielder, as he has a bWAR of 13.4 dating back to the beginning of the 2024 season. That includes a marvelous 8.7 wins above replacement in 2024.
He’s led the AL in triples in back-to-back seasons and has hit 40+ doubles, 10+ triples, and 15+ home runs in back-to-back campaigns.
Although it’s puzzling, Duran, because he hasn’t received a contract extension, will continue to be a subject of trade rumors.
The report of the Red Sox wanting to add a lefty reliever is likely more serious than Duran being traded, but Bleacher Report’s floated trade idea of Duran makes for a good speculation topic.
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