As the dust continues to settle on the Boston Red Sox’s horrific playoff run, it seems all but certain that changes are coming this winter.
Granted, there’s no guarantee we get a 2027 season at this juncture. But if we make the assumption there will be one, then we know offseason moves will happen at some point, whether they come before the Dec. 1 impending lockout or after.
The Red Sox have made trades a marquee theme of their roster-building strategy under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, so we shouldn’t expect that to stop anytime soon. And if anyone is getting traded this winter, outfielder Jarren Duran is the most likely to leave. Here’s why.
Yes, you’d be getting pennies on the dollar for what Duran could have been worth in the past. After his nine-WAR 2024 campaign, it’s possible the Red Sox could have rebuilt their whole farm system by trading him. In the middle of the 2025 season, it was reported that Boston could have had San Diego Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas for Duran, which looks like it would have been a value win as well.
But even if we assume Duran will bounce back somewhat from the disastrous season he just had at the plate, it’s time to end the constant roster juggling that’s been going on in the outfield. If Roman Anthony is healthy enough to play, he should be in left field. And the Red Sox need the designated hitter slot open to secure a true power bat this winter.
Cut your losses. If the best thing Duran can bring back at this point is a solid reliever, that’s still preferable to another year of the logjam. And if Anthony misses time to injury next season, the Red Sox can finally give Kristian Campbell another long-awaited shot in the majors.
There’s just no good that comes from keeping Duran in the picture anymore, which is unfortunate to say after the highs he experienced in a Red Sox uniform. Part of making progress this offseason comes with biting the bullet, which could also help him rejuvenate his career in his age-30 season elsewhere.
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