The Boston Red Sox have watched Jarren Duran come out of the gate swinging this spring. 7 hits in 12 at-bats. Three home runs in five games.
The numbers look like 2024 Duran. The All-Star Game MVP version. The breakout season that made everyone take notice. Not the 2025 counterpart that battled inconsistency. Not the version that heard his name in trade rumors all offseason.
Duran talked with MLB Network this week and discuss what changed. What he said revealed everything about where his head is at heading into 2026.
Duran Addresses What Went Wrong in 2025
MLB Network asked Duran about his approach this offseason. What adjustments he wanted to make at the plate after a year that didn’t quite measure up to his expectations.
His answer cut straight to the heart of it.
“Honestly, it was just kind of like getting back to myself in 24 and just relaxing, having fun,” Duran said. “Because I feel like in 25 I just started to put more pressure on myself, had some tight swings, tried to do too much. And I feel like in 24 I just I went out there with a carefree attitude. So, just going to try and get back to that.”
Duran has always been honest. No excuses. He put a lot of pressure on himself in 2025. The swings got tight. He tried to do too much instead of trusting what made him special. The year before, he played with freedom. That’s the version he wants back. And the early returns this spring suggest he’s already there.
The Bond With Trevor Story
Duran’s carefree approach has roots. Trevor Story helped build it.
Story saw Duran grinding through the early years when nothing felt easy. He took him under his wing. Even while dealing with his own injuries, Story stayed locked in on helping Duran figure things out. That meant something.
“He took me under his wing when he knew I was grinding in my early years,” Duran said. “Even when he was hurt, he was looking out for me. So I kind of just followed his suit and looked up to him as a leader.”
The bond runs deeper than typical teammates. Duran jokingly calls Story a father figure.
“He’s kind of been like that father figure on the field for me,” Duran said. “And we always had this father-son joke going around every single day. But, you know, honestly, like outside of baseball, he’s one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever met and I’m very thankful to have him.”
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Duran Representing Mexico at the WBC
Duran is set to represent Team Mexico at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Mexico opens tournament play Friday against Great Britain in Houston. Duran will start in the outfield, with a chance to represent his father’s country.
“Being able to go out there and support my dad is big,” Duran said. “I feel like I don’t get to support that side of him that much. So this is going to be a huge honor for me to go out there and represent my last name and his last name.”
After the WBC wraps, Duran returns to Boston for the 2026 season. A carefree version of him changes what the Red Sox can do offensively. The speed creates chaos. Singles become doubles. Doubles stretch into triples. When he’s locked in, he’s dangerous.
Trade speculation followed him all offseason. Boston’s crowded outfield created real questions about his future. MLB Network ranked him the best left fielder in baseball two months ago. That kind of player doesn’t move easily.
The Red Sox kept him. Spring training says they got it right. The bat is working. The mind is clear.
Final Word for the Red Sox
Jarren Duran figured out what derailed 2025. The pressure built. The swings tightened. He forced things that should have come naturally.
On Friday, he gets to honor his father wearing Mexico’s jersey on an international stage. Then he returns to Boston and proves the 2024 version never really left.
Spring training already provided the evidence. The approach is clean. The bat is alive. Duran is ready.
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