Jarren Duran has had a rough 2026 season for more reasons than one, and it all seemed to come to a head in Sacramento against the Athletics last week.
After his outburst at Willson Contreras and the third base coach, it felt like the end could be nearing for Duran’s time with the Boston Red Sox, especially with the trade deadline just days away.
Cooler heads prevailed, however, and the star outfielder was ultimately not moved. That being said, Duran himself expected the worst leading up to the deadline, even believing that he could be released.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to be released… I am the worst player in MLB statistically. I hate looking at the numbers but when you’re going bad, you look at the numbers and it was pretty obvious how bad I was. I thought I was going to be released… I’m just thankful that I have the opportunity to continue this run with this team and this organization, and hopefully make a playoff push,”
The 29-year-old Duran is playing on the one-year, $7.7 million contract extension he signed in November to avoid arbitration with the Red Sox. He has two more years of team control beyond 2026, with free agency on the docket for 2029. He’s hit 15 home runs and 58 RBI while batting .203 across 105 games this season.
Duran is an emotional player, and that can be a good or bad thing depending on his play and the team’s results. This year has been a struggle for Duran personally, which has led to some ugly moments on and off the field that everyone will want to forget.
That being said, he’s proven in recent years to be a valuable piece of the puzzle in Boston, so as long as he can keep his cool and continue to put in the work, the Red Sox are better off with him than without him.
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