MLB Insider Believes Red Sox May Trade Jarren Duran: 'Would Not Surprise Me At All'

If Jarren Duran gets traded, there will be plenty of upset Boston Red Sox fans. But that might be the way chief baseball officer Craig Breslow sees best fit to escape this logjam.

Duran has meant everything to this Red Sox team since the start of the 2024 season. He led all of baseball in plate appearances, doubles, and triples last season, finishing eighth in Most Valuable Player voting. He's also become a leader in a clubhouse that's had a void over the last couple of years.

However, the Red Sox have two other Gold Glove-caliber outfielders, and baseball's number-one prospect in Roman Anthony on the way to the majors. And a report on Monday from The Athletic's Dennis Lin painted the San Diego Padres as an enthusiastic suitor for the 28-year-old star.

Insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic appeared on the "Foul Territory" podcast on Monday to assess the situation. And while Bowden didn't see the Padres as an ideal match for the Red Sox, he believed there was a strong chance Duran could be dealt.

"Now, the problem with the rumor is there's really not a fit between the Padres and the Red Sox," Bowden said. "They (the Padres) really don't have the starting pitcher to trade Boston. Their farm system isn't what it once was.

"I don't know how those two teams would match, so I think it's unlikely there's a trade there, but It would not surprise me at all if Craig Breslow, the GM of the Red Sox, plans to trade Duran. Because otherwise, why haven't you made room for Anthony? It just doesn't make sense."

Another reason the Red Sox are in this situation (besides their 29-33 record) is that Rafael Devers is clogging up the designated hitter role, and for better or worse, hasn't agreed to try out the first base position in the wake of Triston Casas' injury. That happened a full month ago.

Duran is making $3.75 this season and has an $8 million club option next year that contains several performance-based escalators. He will then have two more years of arbitration before becoming a free agent after the 2028 season, when he will be 32.