Jarren

Duran

While this report doesn’t completely rule out the Royals making a splash on the trade market, it doesn’t sound promising that anything is actually going to happen. Both Duran and Donovan have been generating plenty of buzz on the trade front and it sounds like the Royals just won’t have the right pieces in place to get a deal done.

There’s a shroud of mystery and uncertainty swirling around Casas as he continues to work his way back from last year’s serious knee injury. The Red Sox acquired veteran slugger Willson Contreras to take over at first base, which likely limits the former top prospect to DH until further notice. It’s too early to write Casas off completely since he’ll be just 26 years old on Opening Day but there are more questions than answers at this stage of his career. There should be some clarity regarding his immediate outlook and role based on how he performs in Grapefruit League action. He seems likely to open the year back in Triple-A Worcester but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him make Boston’s season-opening roster, especially if the Red Sox decide to move either Jarren Duran or Masataka Yoshida.

Cora added that he’s reserving the right to change his mind, but his initial lineup projection has the newly-acquired veteran slugger occupying the cleanup spot. The 33-year-old’s arrival solves Boston’s first base quagmire and it’s a notable development from a counting stats perspective that he’ll be locked into the middle of their lineup, regardless of whether Alex Bregman returns. He should have plenty of opportunities from a run-production standpoint with Roman Anthony and Trevor Story serving as top-of-the-order table-setters next season. The big question heading into the late stages of the offseason is where Jarren Duran fits into the lineup if he’s on the roster once spring training opens up in early February.

That’s a huge get for Mexico. They did get a quality performance from Austin Barnes behind the plate last time around, but Barnes is pretty much out of the league at this point. Mexico has also confirmed that Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran will participate once again. Duran backed up Alek Thomas in 2023, but he’ll surely be a lineup fixture this time around. One big remaining question is whether Isaac Paredes will be allowed to participate while coming off his hamstring injury.

Rosenthal reports that “The Royals are under the impression Duran would cost them left-hander Cole Ragans,” who the Red Sox will most certainly ask for as part of a deal. However, Rosenthal also noted that “the Red Sox view the initial talks as more informal and exploratory, according to people briefed on the conversations.” These two teams have been circling each other for a while, but it doesn’t seem like anything is imminent.

Arozarena went 9-for-20 with a homer and nine RBI in the 2023 WBC. Duran played behind Alek Thomas in center and finished 0-for-5. He’ll of course be a starter this time. In 2023, the other outfield spot went to Alex Verdugo, so a change is probably coming there. Perhaps young Rangers outfielder Alejandro Osuna could join the mix.

Passan notes that the Red Sox “are valuing Duran more like the seven-win player of 2024 than his 4-win version in 2025"; however, he also notes that Duran “has a ton of trade value because he’s still in his 20s and has three years of control.” Even if 2024 was an outlier, Duran has elite baserunning abilities and has been a solid run-producer atop the Red Sox lineup. With Wilyer Abreu proving to be a better defender and also being younger, it seems more likely that the Red Sox deal Duran this winter.

There is nothing in motion right now, but Speier notes that the Royals have specifically stated that nobody on their roster is “off limits.” The Royals have shown a reluctance to deal veterans Seth Lugo and Michal Wacha, and they have said that Ragans would only be dealt if a “big return” was coming their way. However, the Red Sox have the pieces to put together that kind of return. The Royals are looking for a right-handed outfielder, but also reportedly “won’t be tethered to the notion,” which means the Red Sox could put together an offer that includes Jarren Duran, one of Connelly Early or Payton Tolle, and other prospects in order to acquire Ragans. It’s also possible that the Red Sox might be willing to part with Kristian Campbell, who seems best suited for the outfield, but doesn’t really have a place in Boston right now. This is a situation to monitor.

The Red Sox had experimented with Campbell at both second base and first base this season, trying to find a way to get his bat in the lineup quickly by having him play a position of need. However, he struggled defensively at second base, and the constant position changes appear to have also impacted his offensive performance. The outfield is Campbell’s best position defensively, and the Red Sox could use his right-handed bat in a left-handed-heavy group. Of course, Campbell moving to the outfield full-time only pours more fuel on the fire of rumors that Jarren Duran will be traded this offseason.

The Red Sox have a full outfield with Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu. They also have Jhostynxon García and Kristian Campbell at Triple-A, so the 29-year-old Duran certainly seems like the odd man out. Nightengale reports that “the Red Sox believe that they need an upgrade over Duran, and that he needs a fresh start.” His name seems likely to come up in rumors all offseason as the Red Sox look to acquire an impact starting pitcher.