Red Sox All-Star Duran Honors Former Boston College Baseball Player With Custom Cleats

Originally posted on Boston College Eagles on SI
By Graham Dietz | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 2:10 PM ET

On Monday, in the Boston Red Sox’s 7-6 home loss to the Los Angeles Angels, All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran wore cleats designed by the Peter Frates ALS Foundation.

In tribute to Frates, a former captain of Boston College baseball who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2012 and the individual who became the driving force behind the viral ALS ice bucket challenge, Duran designed his cleats with a cartoon of Frates dumping an ice bucket over his head right above the Nike swoosh.

Frates’ “P3F” logo was also imprinted on the cleat, close to the toe. On the other cleat, a “Strike Out ALS” logo with a red ribbon was etched into the white shoe.

Frates’ mother, Nancy Frates, joined the NESN broadcast during the game to talk about ALS, Frates’ fight with the neurodegenerative disease, and—above all—hope for a cure.

"We give direct funds to patients to pay for out of pocket care."

To learn more about (or donate to!!!) the @PF3Foundation, head to https://t.co/REkspGQI38 pic.twitter.com/BoLCr21zUg
— NESN (@NESN) June 2, 2025

“I think for years we were in a lot of false hope,” Nancy said. “But the money is coming in, the talent is coming in, and there’s one thing they say at the [Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS] is the young people coming out of Med school are coming into this field, so it’s all good.”

Tonight's game, bigger than baseball. Jarren Duran is wearing cleats designed by the Peter Frates ALS Foundation, a tribute to strength, courage, and the fight against ALS. ❤️⚾#ForPete #ForPALS #PF3 #PeterFratesALSFoundation #StrikeOutALS #ALS #PeteFrates #CareCureEducateImpact pic.twitter.com/jFIXZgRp5O
— Peter Frates Family Foundation (@PF3Foundation) June 2, 2025

Frates died in 2019 from ALS at the age of 34.

Every year since 2017, the Boston College Eagles baseball team plays a game at Fenway Park in Frates’ honor, called the ALS Awareness Game. The game is always a significant event during the regular season for BC, which former head coach Mike Gambino started and Todd Interdonato continued after taking over the reins in 2024.

In the most recent edition of the ALS Awareness Game, the Eagles hosted Miami on April 27. Ticket proceeds for the game were donated to the Pete Frates Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting ALS patients and their families with the cost of specialized care.

Duran’s custom cleat design marks another step in the fight for ALS, all started by a figure who epitomized Boston College baseball and went on to play professionally in Europe.

The foundation has raised approximately $220 million since its inception, and this newest chapter only makes the hopes of finding a cure and providing the best treatment to ALS patients even closer to a reality.

This article first appeared on Boston College Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: