The Boston Red Sox have been trade-happy this offseason, executing multiple swaps to improve their big league roster. However, they have yet to deal from their surplus of outfielders.
The Red Sox have dealt some of their prospects and pitching depth in return for players who can help them right away. However, they still have four very talented outfielders. Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela are all capable of being everyday players, and trading one of them could yield the Red Sox a great return.
Anthony and Rafalea are unlikely to be traded. Between Abreu and Duran, Duran seems more likely to be dealt. He was the center of many trade rumors in the summer and is older than Abreu. Duran is under club control through 2028, but the Red Sox reportedly want a “front-of-the-rotation starter” in return for him, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
“The Red Sox believe Duran is worth a front-of-the-rotation starter,” Passan wrote on Threads on Thursday. “At this point, no one has been willing to pay that. Considering the return the Rays got on Shane Baz, teams are going to be that much more emboldened to price starting pitchers very aggressively, even with the paucity of good bats left beyond the very top of the free agent market.”
Duran was an All-Star in 2024, leading all of baseball in doubles and triples. He posted an .834 OPS and hit 21 home runs in 2024 as well. He was due to regress slightly, and he did. However, he is still a solid player with good trade value, but he may not be worth a frontline starter.
It will be hard for the Red Sox to find a trade partner if they want an elite arm in return. The trade market for pitchers is high, as Passan noted with Baz’s trade as an example, and Duran is not enough return for a team dealing a frontline starter. The Red Sox may feel comfortable holding onto Duran until the trade deadline, but Alex Cora would have to find ways to get all four of his talented, young outfielders in the lineup consistently.
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