Padres 'Enamored' With Red Sox Star; Will Boston Cut Ties By Trade Deadline?

The Boston Red Sox roared into the All-Star break, and soon the sprint to the trade deadline will begin in earnest.

When play resumes on Friday, there will only be 13 days until the deadline. Plenty of Boston players have to be nervous that their names will be called, but one player in particular seems to have a strong chance of being moved.

That player is left fielder Jarren Duran, who at this time last year was preparing to win All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. While Duran isn't quite having the same season in 2025, he's still a well above average offensive player who's under team control through 2028.

But the Red Sox's deep outfield makes Duran somewhat expendable, and the San Diego Padres have reportedly been coming after him hard. As the break hits, it appears he's still at the top of the Padres' list.

On Sunday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that the Padres "remain enamored" with Duran, while hinting that San Diego had the motivation to make something big happen without waiting until the Jul. 31 deadline.

"Around Petco Park, with the first day of the two-day MLB Draft winding down, there was a feeling Preller would not wait until the final hours before the July 31 trade deadline to act. Indeed, additions could be coming well before then," Lin wrote.

"According to team and league sources, the Padres remain enamored of Jarren Duran, who still might be viewed as expendable by the surging, outfielder-laden Boston Red Sox. Duran is not an ideal fit for a lineup lacking power and enough ability to combat lefties, but the Padres are not in a position to be especially picky."

With each passing day, the link between Duran and the Padres grows stronger. But San Diego doesn't have many young players who could help the Red Sox in the immediate future, so they'd likely have to get creative, possibly drawing a third team into the deal, to make something happen.

We can't say with certainty that a Duran-Padres trade will happen, but if the Red Sox make any big-name subtractions, this one seems by far the likeliest.