The Boston Red Sox made their biggest move of the offseason earlier this week, signing left-handed starter Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million deal that has breathed life back into what had been a frustrating offseason. After losing out on Alex Bregman, the Boston front office finally delivered and has another clear move ahead. The Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders with Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu vying for the same three spots in the Boston outfield.
Masataka Yoshida must be mentioned as well, though the Red Sox will likely more often utilize the DH spot to get Yoshida in the lineup. With this in mind, it doesn't come as a surprise that Duran is being considered the most likely piece to be dealt. This is something that The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey touched on in a recent article dealing with the fallout from the signing of Suarez. Within the piece, it was pointed out that "Anthony is all but off the table, but Duran remains a likely trade candidate given his $7.7 million salary for 2026."
This shouldn't come as a surprise on either count, with Anthony being a clear building block and Duran's salary making the outfielder the perfect trade option. It is an opportunity to trade the veteran off a solid season, giving Boston its best chance to acquire a meaningful return. This is an outlook that could be argued in either direction, with one side being the obvious of selling high and the other being hesitant to jettison a productive player.
Red Sox Continue to Hint at Parting Ways with Jarren Duran in 2026 Offseason
Trading Duran does make sense in the fact that it gives you a chance to add an impactful return, boosting the infield or bullpen. Losing out on Bregman has exposed just how little is known offensively about what Boston's offense can be expected to produce in the 2026 season. If the Red Sox were able to pair Duran with a viable prospect return and land an established producer in the infield, the offseason perception would flip overnight.
This is the type of trade that the Red Sox should be hunting. Viewing Duran as a potential trade chip and not a salary dump. If Boston doesn't get what it wants in return, there are worse problems to have than going into the season with a surplus of outfielders.
Spring training often presents injuries that serve as trade opportunities. With this in mind, the Red Sox should continue to shop Duran, while understanding there is no urgency to make a deal come to fruition. Boston must continue to operate with patience, grasping the potential of this roster and the need for one or two further impact additions.