Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran hits a single off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Adrian Houser during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
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A 29-year-old star with three years remaining before free agency doesn’t get traded very often, but sometimes the stars align just right to make him available. Such is the case for Jarren Duran, as his position on the Boston Red Sox has become superfluous.
Duran just completed a 4.7 WAR season (Baseball-Reference version), in which he batted .256/.332/.442 with 41 doubles, a league-best 13 triples, 16 home runs, and 24 stolen bases. He was even better in 2024, when he compiled 8.7 WAR and led MLB in both doubles (48) and triples (14).
One of the reasons why his WAR declined is that he spent more time in left field than in center, though he remains capable at the more valuable position. That’s part of the issue that could put him on the trading block. The Red Sox have 4.7 WAR Gold Glove winner Ceddanne Rafaela in center, Rookie of the Year finalist Roman Anthony in left, and 3.2 WAR Gold Glover Wilyer Abreu in right field. All three of them are younger than Duran and have more team control remaining before they reach free agency.
It’s a great problem to have for the Red Sox, but it’s a problem nevertheless. All four of them are excellent players, especially defensively, so none of them fit as a designated hitter. Rafaela and Abreu are among the best in the game at their positions, and Anthony looks like the next face of the franchise after a .292/.396/.463 rookie campaign.
Even though Duran has led Boston position players in WAR in each of the last two years, he seems to be the odd man out. That makes him a likely trade candidate this offseason, and he’ll probably be the best player traded this winter.
The Red Sox are by no means rebuilding. They finished 89-73 last season, which was third in the American League East, but they made the playoffs as a wild card. When a player of Duran’s magnitude gets traded, the return is typically prospect-heavy. That likely won’t be the case, as the Red Sox should seek players that can help them overcome the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees in 2026.
That’s going to be a tough needle to thread for a prospective trade partner. Another issue is that some of the teams who need an outfielder the most are off limits for Boston to make a blockbuster trade with. The Blue Jays and Yankees are division rivals, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are still reaping the rewards of Boston’s disastrous Mookie Betts trade. The San Francisco Giants could also use an outfielder, but the Red Sox might need a cool-down period after shipping Rafael Devers to them in June.
The Chicago Cubs could be in the market for Duran if they fail to re-sign Kyle Tucker, who profiles as the top free agent available this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors recently projected him to land an 11-year, $400 million contract.
The contending team most desperate for outfield help is probably the Philadelphia Phillies. They have one reliable outfielder in Brandon Marsh, who doesn’t play often against left-handed pitching. They also have Nick Castellanos, who was worth -0.8 WAR last season, and don’t have a proven center fielder anywhere on the roster. Duran would be an ideal player for them to acquire.
Trading Jarren Duran is going to be complicated for the Red Sox, but keeping him around might be even moreso. What becomes of him will be one of the most fascinating storylines of this MLB offseason.