There are a number of strategies the Red Sox could employ when the July 31 MLB trade deadline comes around. The boldest approach, no doubt, would be to deal off left fielder Jarren Duran, whose production has dipped this season but who remains a popular figure among teammates and fans. If the Red Sox are to obtain a front-line starter who will be on the roster beyond this season, Duran would be the starting point of any package.
Though the team has an overload of outfielders, team insider Sean McAdam says there is not a great chance that Duran is sent away,
Speaking on a livestreamed mailbag for MassLive, McAdam said: “I would say it is unlikely that Jarren Duran is dealt in the next week. I would not make it a—never say never, that it couldn’t happen. But my guess is that it is not going to happen by next Thursday. They have made it clear that they’re ready to listen on him if there is a deal in front of them that they think makes them better not just in the next two-plus months but in the years to come, then they would at least entertain it.”
Jarren Duran Numbers Have Dropped
Duran has not been as productive this year as he was during last year’s All-Star, breakout campaign. He is batting .254 with nine homers and 25 doubles, down from .285 with 21 homers and a league-high 48 doubles. He leads the AL with 10 triples, and led the league with 14 last year. His OPS has dropped from .834 to .748.
His hustle and enthusiasm have been a hallmark of his brief career in Boston, and the fact that he is still three years removed from free agency give him added value. The Padres have been reported to have interest in Duran, but they’re hardly alone.
Big Trade More Likely in Offseason
Even if he is in demand, the Red Sox will be reluctant to make a move, because, in part, trading Duran could hurt their chemistry. It would be easier to make that kind of move in the offseason, when the roster can reset, and chemistry can be rebuilt anew.
“It’s easier to put a deal together in the offseason,” McAdam said. “You’re not hamstrung by the deadline, you don’t have that 6 p.m. next Thursday deadline kind of hanging over you. You can proceed at your own pace. You’re starting from scratch when it comes to payroll. … When you’re starting from scratch in November or December in the GM and winter meetings, you’re just putting your roster together, you can move pieces around, you can plan a little bit more from a payroll standpoint. “
Red Sox Outfield Is Crowded
But with an outfield that has the team’s best offensive player, Wilyer Abreu, in right field, arguably the best defensive outfielder in the league, Ceddanne Rafaela, in center, and baseball’s top prospect, Roman Anthony, in left, it’s clear where a change is most likely to be made, sooner or later.
“Look, obviously, the Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders, and they have too many left-handed hitting outfielders—with Anthony, Abreu and Duran all hitting from the left side and Rafaela hitting from the right,” McAdam said.
“It stands to reason that one of those left-handed hitting guys is going to go, and it stands to reason that Duran is ultimately the guy they choose to move on from. But I think it is far more likely he gets dealt this winter.”
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