Red Sox Blasted For ‘Foolish’ Handling Of All-Star Jarren Duran

The Boston Red Sox recently avoided arbitration with most of the team’s eligible players, aside from All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran.

Duran had a career year in 2024 and arguably was the team’s best player. He finished the season with 21 home runs, 75 RBIs, 34 steals, and slashed .285/.342/492 in 160 games played. Duran also led the league in doubles with 48 and triples with 14.

The 28-year-old is a dynamic player who will get a raise in 2025, but things are weird right now. The two sides didn’t avoid arbitration after Duran filed at $4 million and the Red Sox filed at $3.5 million. The two sides realistically could figure something out before an arbitration hearing, but that does seem like the most likely option at this point.

The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham weighed in on the discussion and blasted the Red Sox for their “foolish” handling of Duran.

“The Red Sox are being foolish going to an arbitration hearing with Jarren Duran over $500,000, but team policy across the majors is to go to a hearing with any arbitration-eligible player who doesn’t agree before the deadline,” Abraham said. “Players are required to attend such hearings, so Duran would have to travel to St. Petersburg, Fla., and listen to a representative of the team lobby for him to be paid less after having the best year of his career…

“Having Duran sit there and listen to reasons why he’s not worth an extra $500,000 is a bad idea. Players invariably come away angry with the team and it could cloud the possibility of an extension. Yet teams fight players for even small amounts. The Angels are going to a hearing with infielder Luis Rengifo over $150,000. The Yankees haven’t gone to arbitration with a player since 2017. They’d rather keep the peace.”

It is pretty surprising that it has gotten to this point. Duran had 8.7 wins above replacement last year. Hopefully, Boston can make things right before they can get worse.