Duran

[NHNative]

I was thinking yesterday about him as a human being and what he has dealt with and such. IMO the Sox organizationn ought to be careful how they treat him moving forward and not trade him---but keep him on the team.

 Baseball isn't just numbers. Its People.

[UtahSox]

I think he would benefit from a smaller market, where he wouldn’t be under microscope. Like the KC Royals, AZ DBacks, Pirates or Reds. 

[NHNative]

4 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

I think he would benefit from a smaller market, where he wouldn’t be under microscope. Like the KC Royals, AZ DBacks, Pirates or Reds. 

That is an interesting thought. Not sure its accurate.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, NHNative said:

That is an interesting thought. Not sure its accurate.

There would probably be less pressure/stress, which is a big factor in emotional and mental triggers.

It's hard to know.

I think the breaking point was when Red called him the "butterfly Man." Who among us could ever recover from that bash?

IMO, he can still turn is career around, but for this whole season, he seems to be more of a negative than a positive towards helping us win. He's had some big hits, and his speed has helped us score some runs no other runner could have scored, but overall, he's hurt the team.

He currently  has a 0.5 bWAR and a 0.5fWAR.

[NHNative]

Ya---people can be cruel and unthinking. I hope he gets better and shows marked improvement.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, NHNative said:

Ya---people can be cruel and unthinking. I hope he gets better and shows marked improvement.

I do, too. I just don't see him as helping this team, going forward. If he was going to make $4-6M on his arb, that would be okay, but $7-9M is too much for a tight-fisted owner's budget. I know $2-4M doesn't seem like much, but that could be the next T Guerrero. Jones and White.

Since Jones and White are out of options, and Anthony and Yoshida can play LF, we'll have enough OF'ers for 2027. The DH position looks like the best slot to upgrade our offense, so slotting Anthony in LF and maybe trading Yoshida could be the best plan. That plan would mean Duran is on the bench. 

It's one thing signing a guy like IKF for $6M to be a utility infielders, but $8-9M for a 4th OF'er when we already have White, Jones and maybe Yoshida just doesn't seem like a shrewd budget choice. Yoshida could also be a decnet FT DH in 2027, despite the aging and injury issues.

Here's the rub: if Duran is not worth $8-9M, how can we sign him and trade him without adding money? It would make more sense to non tender him or sign him at $6M/1 ir $11M/2 before non tendering him. (Then, maybe trade him.) I'm not sure that is likely either.

Further complicating the DH-LF situation is the fact that we have Story-Mead-Arias at middle infield, which could easily help fill the DH slot. With Sogard, Seigler, Monasterio & Cheng as middle infield depth, using Story or Mead at DH makes even more sense. That would put more of a squeeze on Duran's usefulness for 2027.

Ideally, Brez could find a way to trade two from Yoshida, Duran and Story. Maybe we trade Jones or White, if we keep Duran. This is much easier said than done, even if we pay big chunks of salary owed. It might be easier with less money owed now, but Yoshida's injury and Story's age might offset the less money aspect of these trade options.

Let's say we trade Duran for a AAA SP'er depth piece. We trade Story + $18M for a RP'er. We trade Yoshida +$14M for another RP'er. We'd gain some pitching depth we lost with the recent trades, and we'd be left with everyday options like this:

C: Rutschman & Wong/Gasper/JoGarcia

1B: Contreras & Sogard/Romy/Casas/Gasper

2B: Mead & Sogard/Seigler/Monasterio/Cheng/Rodgers/Romero

3B: Durbin & Sogard/Eaton/Monasterio/ Romero

SS: Arias & Monasterio/Cheng/Sogard

LF: Anthony & Jones/White/Campbell/Castro

CF: Rafaela & White/Eaton/Ward

RF: Abreu & White/Eaton/Campbell/Gonzales

DH: ___FA____ & Campbell/Gasper/Romy/Casas/Gonzales/JoGarcia/Brannon

[Behindenemylines]

The strikeouts are frustrating, but where would the Sox be if they had traded him last off season. While a lot of teammates have been hurt throughout the season he always answers the bell. The game the Sox won last week against Cleveland that was him. Stolen base and just beating the throw home (not sure anyone else currently on the roster is safe on that play).

[NHNative]

12 minutes ago, Behindenemylines said:

The strikeouts are frustrating, but where would the Sox be if they had traded him last off season. While a lot of teammates have been hurt throughout the season he always answers the bell. The game the Sox won last week against Cleveland that was him. Stolen base and just beating the throw home (not sure anyone else currently on the roster is safe on that play).

Yup---I am not anywhere near all you guys with stats and such, but I agree that if he gets to hitting a bit better, he adds to the team. He is clearly capable of getting it back.

Not so different from some others right now.

[moonslav59]

K% in 2026 (MLB: 22.3%)

34 Narvaez (gone)

33 Story (1 year left)

32 Cheng (3rd/4th string SS)

31 Jones (platoon OF'er)

29 Romy (not on 26)

27 Duran (2nd on team in PAs and might be gone in '27)

27 Anthony (as long as he gets on base, this doesn't concern me)

26 Eaton (like #38 on the 40 man roster)

25 Contreras (not a concern)

24 Wong (could be gone in '27)

23 White (out of options & 5th OF type)

23 Rutschman (near league avg)

___________ League AVG ___________

21 Abreu

20 Sogard & Rafaela

19 Monasterio & Mayer (gone)

17 Gasper

16 Seigler

15 IKF (FA to be)

14 Durbin

11 Yoshida

 

[NHNative]

17 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

K% in 2026 (MLB: 22.3%)

34 Narvaez (gone)

33 Story (1 year left)

32 Cheng (3rd/4th string SS)

31 Jones (platoon OF'er)

29 Romy (not on 26)

27 Duran (2nd on team in PAs and might be gone in '27)

27 Anthony (as long as he gets on base, this doesn't concern me)

26 Eaton (like #38 on the 40 man roster)

25 Contreras (not a concern)

24 Wong (could be gone in '27)

23 White (out of options & 5th OF type)

23 Rutschman (near league avg)

___________ League AVG ___________

21 Abreu

20 Sogard & Rafaela

19 Monasterio & Mayer (gone)

17 Gasper

16 Seigler

15 IKF (FA to be)

14 Durbin

11 Yoshida

 

Can you compare alongside base hits and HRs?

Ks aren't all.