Padres reportedly targeting Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran for potential trade
With Roman Anthony on his way, an "underwhelming Red Sox team might consider Duran expendable."
The San Diego Padres have Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran on their list of potential trade targets, according to a report from The Athletic’s Dennis Lin.
The report cites “glaring holes” at the bottom of San Diego’s lineup as one of the reasons the Padres are interested in adding Duran.
The Padres’ situation in left-field reportedly became serious last Sunday when Gavin Sheets left San Diego’s win against the Pittsburgh Pirates after crashing into the left field wall. Jason Hayward is on the injured list, and Sheets had been replacing him.
San Diego reportedly covets last year’s All-Star Game MVP. Duran finished eighth in the MVP voting last season, when he had 21 home runs, 75 RBI, and a league-best 14 triples.
“The Padres expressed interest in Duran ahead of the 2024 season,” Lin wrote. “Before veteran left fielder Jurickson Profar and then-rookie center fielder Jackson Merrill joined Duran as first-time All-Stars.”
Duran is hitting .264 this season six six triples, four home runs, 34 RBI, 13 steals, and a .312 on base percentage. His OPS of .718 is much higher than the .530 OPS that Padres left-fielders have posted collectively this season.
Duran would be a positional fit for San Diego, and the Red Sox may be tempted to free-up an outfield spot for top prospect Roman Anthony according to the report.
“Now, an underwhelming Red Sox team might consider Duran expendable; outfielder Roman Anthony remains tantalizingly close to Boston, and a restless fan base has been clamoring for the arrival of the sport’s consensus No. 1 prospect.”
Both manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow have recently said that the Red Sox are having daily discussions on when to promote Anthony.
“The timing is something, as an organization, we’re going to decide when,” Cora said last week during a radio appearance on WEEI. “Obviously, he’s doing an outstanding job. He’s getting better. He’s not knocking at the door, he’s knocking it down, let’s be honest.”
There’s also the question of how much San Diego would be able to offer for Duran. Lin mentioned a pair of top-50 prospects in shortstop Leo De Vries and catcher Ethan Salas, but also noted that San Diego’s farm system has been “thinned out” by previous trades.
De Vries, a switch-hitting 18-year-old, is the No. 3 prospect in baseball behind Anthony and Pittsburgh’s Bubba Chandler, according to MLB.com’s rankings. He has an “exquisite” knowledge of the strike zone, and is an “agile runner” once he gets on base, according to the MLB.com scouting report on him. He’s hitting .264/.343/.440 in single-A this season with four home runs, three triples, 24 RBI and four stolen bases.
Salas is No. 29 on the MLB.com list. He was the No. 1 overall international prospect in 2023. His defense, namely his blocking, receiving, and ability to limit the running game is reportedly a a major strength. But the 19-year old has struggled at the plate, hitting .188/.325/.219 in Double-A this season.
San Diego (33-24) is second in the NL West behind the Dodgers, and have won six of their last 10 games despite their issues in left field. The Red Sox (29-32) have slipped to fourth place in the AL East, and have lost six of their last 10.
The Padres are searching for outfield reinforcements as they try to close the gap with Los Angeles, and reportedly think Duran could help.
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