Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With Fan Favorite All-Star In Trade To Padres

There's a central question beginning to cement itself as the trade deadline approaches for the Boston Red Sox.

Will outfielder Jarren Duran be traded? And will it be to the ravenous San Diego Padres?

The Padres have been hot on Duran's tail for years, and that pursuit appears to be at an all-time high. Hardly a day goes by without a new report describing San Diego's infatuation with the 2024 All-Star, and it makes sense because he's a really good player at a position where the Padres have a black hole.

Duran is so good, though, and still so early on in his contract, that one has to be nervous about the prospect of trading him. If they keep all their outfielders, though, they'll be constantly cycling young players in and out of the lineup (it might work for the rest of this year, but not for the next few seasons).

On Monday, Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut became the latest to predict that the Red Sox would pull the trigger, listing Duran to San Diego on a list of trade deadline projections.

"Duran adds an All-Star-caliber left fielder to the Padres’ lineup, plugging a hole at a position that has produced the fifth-lowest OPS (.632) in the majors this year," Johnson wrote.

"Boston could get a few of the Padres’ top prospects in return, but a bigger piece could be closer Robert Suarez (3.54 ERA and 1.03 WHIP). San Diego could elevate Adrian Morejon into the closer role and be just fine, while Boston strengthens its bullpen and farm system."

Not that the Red Sox should thumb their nose at Suarez, but it feels like they should be shooting higher than prospects and a reliever. Reading between the lines, it doesn't seem like chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wants to move Duran unless he can land a controllable starting pitcher in return.

But while the Padres don't necessarily have that pitcher on their roster, there's still a world where the teams make a three-way trade, or the Red Sox quickly flip the Padres' prospects into a deal with prospects of their own.

By Jul. 31 at 6 p.m., we'll know if Duran is staying or going.