Jarren Duran

[drewski6]

15 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Like Moon said, we didn't have many good RH alternatives.  They gave Eaton some innings, but that didn't really work.

But imho, part of it was that we wanted to get Duran rolling, and sometimes that can only be done playing fulltime.  Someone like Duran in particularly.

Worked for Yoshida.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Nobody is throwing an 80 mph softball slider FWIW. 

the mid 80s slider was when he closed for umass.  the beer league softball team came later. he never pitched softball , he played 1b and moved to ss when my other buddy retired from the team with a shoulder injury....but i still wouldnt advise pissing him off when he was drunk even though he wasnt pitching anymore.

He did whoop me in tennis last weekend.  But hes got like 3 inches on me (6'3 vs 6'0) and is about 6 years younger (36 vs 42)

[drewski6]

he also destroyed my peloton high score and it was so bad i stopped using my peloton for months but have recently gotten back on.

[drewski6]

but hes driving my ass to fenway today soooo......

[drewski6]

and he has a pool

[mvp 78]

I'll probably just take my kids to the beach later to go skimboarding. Ocean temp is currently 83. 🥶

[JoeBrady]

3 hours ago, jad said:

Then you are advocating a violent lifestyle.    

Give an example of how it helps 'to have people a little uncertain around you.'   

My reputation at work was always to be quiet and analytical.  If someone gets something wrong, it is a teaching moment.  But sometimes I curse.  Often enough, I am not even angry when I curse.  But sometimes there needs to be a memorable moment.  Something to get someone's attention.  Something for them to remember.

[moonslav59]

15 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

My point is that Breslow foresaw that he just might need Duran as an option.  That has paid off handsomely on defense and even at the plate.  

It has not paid off in 2026.

[Maxbialystock]

4 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

It has not paid off in 2026.

I disagree.  He is part of the best defensive outfield in MLB and is 2d on the team in rbi's and 4th in total bases despite his horrible OPS.  Moreover, both managers have had abundant opportunities to put anyone else in LF and did not do so. 

I'm aware that almost everyone else on talksox agrees with you that Duran is a dud, a loser, etc. 

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I disagree.  He is part of the best defensive outfield in MLB and is 2d on the team in rbi's and 4th in total bases despite his horrible OPS.  Moreover, both managers have had abundant opportunities to put anyone else in LF and did not do so. 

I'm aware that almost everyone else on talksox agrees with you that Duran is a dud, a loser, etc. 

Duran has a negative FWAR. It's one thing to stretch it to say He's "paid off" but you also added "handsomely even at the plate."

That's untrue. fangraphs has -17 batting and +1.4 on D

bWAR has -0.4 Offense and +0.4 on D.

BTW, he's not a "dud or loser," he has just sucked this year. I think he can turn it around. I hope he does.

I'm just not going to pretend he's been a plus, so far in 2026.

[Larry Cook]

My question is why can’t Duran hit 4 seamers up in the zone??? 
 

I think duran needs an intense tutorial with the guy that fixed Durbin ! 

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

14 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Duran has a negative FWAR. It's one thing to stretch it to say He's "paid off" but you also added "handsomely even at the plate."

That's untrue. fangraphs has -17 batting and +1.4 on D

bWAR has -0.4 Offense and +0.4 on D.

BTW, he's not a "dud or loser," he has just sucked this year. I think he can turn it around. I hope he does.

I'm just not going to pretend he's been a plus, so far in 2026.

Yeah I agree. Duran may be part of the "best defensive outfield in the MLB" but he is not the reason for that.  And obviously his hitting remains a huge problem, not too many teams will stick with a guy who has been south of the Mendosa Line all season.  And it's not like he's got the resume of a star who is just in a slump.  

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

Yeah I agree. Duran may be part of the "best defensive outfield in the MLB" but he is not the reason for that.  And obviously his hitting remains a huge problem, not too many teams will stick with a guy who has been south of the Mendosa Line all season.  And it's not like he's got the resume of a star who is just in a slump.  

Batting 9th vs RHPs only would still give him an ample chance at earning a FT role and a promotion up the line-up order.

[Bellhorn04]

2 hours ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

Yeah I agree. Duran may be part of the "best defensive outfield in the MLB" but he is not the reason for that.  And obviously his hitting remains a huge problem, not too many teams will stick with a guy who has been south of the Mendosa Line all season.  And it's not like he's got the resume of a star who is just in a slump.  

He was the team's best player for the years 2024-2025. 

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

He was the team's best player for the years 2024-2025. 

...and to me, that recency effect keeps the hope alive that he can or might rebound at any minute. It is also what gives him some trade value.... just not a lot and maybe "not enough" to make trading him, now worth it.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

He was the team's best player for the years 2024-2025. 

I tend to agree, which is why I posted that I didn't want to trade him last winter as he was at that time capable of taking over a game.  He's no longer that player and I'm not sure how much longer we are expected to wait.

[mvp 78]

2 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

He was the team's best player for the years 2024-2025. 

He wasn’t the best player last season. 

[Bellhorn04]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He wasn’t the best player last season. 

I meant the two years combined.

[Bellhorn04]

If Duran starts hitting again everyone will shut up.  It's the tale as old as time.

The bottom line is Breslow/Tracy obviously think they should keep plugging him in the lineup and hope he turns it around.  I'm sure they're looking hard at his mechanics and trying to figure out what the issue is.  

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

If Duran starts hitting again everyone will shut up.  It's the tale as old as time.

The bottom line is Breslow/Tracy obviously think they should keep plugging him in the lineup and hope he turns it around.  I'm sure they're looking hard at his mechanics and trying to figure out what the issue is.  

Yes if Duran goes on another one of his hot streaks like he did earlier it’s the old what have you done for me lately situation, but he’s gone through a long dry spell to get back there.

[Larry Cook]

38 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Yes if Duran goes on another one of his hot streaks like he did earlier it’s the old what have you done for me lately situation, but he’s gone through a long dry spell to get back there.

I have a feeling Duran starts his hot streak on August 4th. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, Old Red said:

Yes if Duran goes on another one of his hot streaks like he did earlier it’s the old what have you done for me lately situation, but he’s gone through a long dry spell to get back there.

My inner Pollyanna says: He's 2 for his last 2, and both hits led to runs. Also, both hits were to the opposite field.

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

He wasn’t the best player last season. 

That's the thing. He started declining in 2025.

I think the point was he was the best from 2024-2025 (combined,) and since guys like Devers weren't here both years, he kinda won the title by default. Only Abreu could compete.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

My inner Pollyanna says: He's 2 for his last 2, and both hits led to runs. Also, both hits were to the opposite field.

LOL.

A two PA hot streak.

He did have one nice hot streak, but he has sucked for too much of 2026.

.435 in last 7 games.

.386 last 13 games.

.441 last 41 games.

Trying to cherry-pick a good long "recent" stretch is difficult. I found .640 in his last 69 games. I think the best one you can find is this last 2 PA stretch.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

How many other Red Sox can score from 1st standing up without drawing a throw on a hit to LF like Duran did when he scored the winning run last night?

I hate when Duran swings and misses pitches at his eyes, but he has contributed. In the best Red Sox month record-wise this decade, he has as many RBIs as anyone.

[Duran Is The Man]

11 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

How many other Red Sox can score from 1st standing up without drawing a throw on a hit to LF like Duran did when he scored the winning run last night?

I hate when Duran swings and misses pitches at his eyes, but he has contributed. In the best Red Sox month record-wise this decade, he has as many RBIs as anyone.

and like Raffy's hitting, his defense is much better than it was a couple years ago.

[moonslav59]

17 minutes ago, Duran Is The Man said:

and like Raffy's hitting, his defense is much better than it was a couple years ago.

His defense was at its peak 2 years ago (2024.)

He's on pace for a better DRS in 2026 than 2025, but I would say he's better than 2 years ago.

[moonslav59]

33 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

How many other Red Sox can score from 1st standing up without drawing a throw on a hit to LF like Duran did when he scored the winning run last night?

I hate when Duran swings and misses pitches at his eyes, but he has contributed. In the best Red Sox month record-wise this decade, he has as many RBIs as anyone.

It's great that he can score on plays that nobody else can, and that he's second on the team in RBI over the last month, but even in this past month, he's 12th out of 12 in fWAR, 12th out of 12 in OPS and wRC+.

[Michigan Adam2]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

LOL.

A two PA hot streak.

He did have one nice hot streak, but he has sucked for too much of 2026.

.435 in last 7 games.

.386 last 13 games.

.441 last 41 games.

Trying to cherry-pick a good long "recent" stretch is difficult. I found .640 in his last 69 games. I think the best one you can find is this last 2 PA stretch.

Those are outstanding if their avg, so so if it's obp, or slg, and horrific if it's ops. I bet later. 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Duran has the lowest BA of all qualified batters in MLB.