Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With Jarren Duran In Trade For 3-Time All-Star

The Boston Red Sox's hot streak has cooled off the rumors that a lot of their current players could be traded, but not outfielder Jarren Duran.

Since top prospect Roman Anthony's arrival in early June, the Red Sox have been juggling four outfielders in their lineup. When Masataka Yoshida returned to the lineup as the regular designated hitter last week, it pushed one of those four onto the bench on most days.

Duran, who is 28 and under contract through 2028, is both the oldest Red Sox outfielder and the closest to free agency. So even though he received Most Valuable Player votes last season, he could easily be the odd man out.

There's also a solid chance the Red Sox could wait until the offseason to make a potential trade that clears up the logjam. But one baseball writer thinks they'll pull the trigger now, in a surprise deal to land a lockdown closer.

On Thursday, CBS Sports' Mike Axisa predicted that Boston would trade Duran to the Cleveland Guardians for three-time All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, who is also under team control through 2028, though the last two years are club options.

"I will not predict a one-for-one trade -- I'll say there will be more pieces involved to even things out -- but Clase for Duran will be the meat of it. The Red Sox get a late-inning dominator and clear the way for a Roman Anthony/Ceddanne Rafaela/Wilyer Abreu outfield," Axisa wrote.

"The Guardians get 3 ½ years of a power/speed threat who can play center field, which is exactly the kind of player they can never afford in free agency. Cleveland won't give Clase away. To trade him, they'll need to get multiple years of an all-around impact player, and that's Duran. The Red Sox would upgrade the bullpen, which takes on increased important in October, which is where they're headed."

Clase, 27, had one of the best closer seasons of all-time in 2024, posting a 0.61 ERA in 74 appearances. He hasn't been nearly that dominant this year, but a 2.91 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings is nothing to sneeze at.

Still, the value proposition of acquiring a closer for a dynamic everyday outfielder, even if he's occasionally used in a pinch-hit role, is tough to figure out. And the Red Sox would need to feel like trading Duran gets them closer to winning this year.

That's why even though predictions will float around on both sides, it's hard to say with certainty Duran will be on the move.