One insider believes Boston will tender Duran another one-year contract for 2027, though.
The Red Sox tried but failed to trade Jarren Duran throughout 2025. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Following another disappointing season, the Boston Red Sox could try to trade outfielder Jarren Duran once again.
Duran, who was rumored to be put on the table by the Red Sox in 2025, can reportedly expect much of the same this offseason, according to MassLive’s Sean McAdam.
“It’s widely expected that the Red Sox will look to deal him this winter,” McAdam wrote on Friday, “but he’ll no doubt be tendered.”
Per McAdam, Boston will look to sign the arbitration-eligible 30-year-old to another one-year deal as opposed to non-tendering him, which would leave him without a contract for 2027. Duran would be projected to earn an $11.1 million tendered contract.
If the Red Sox indeed agree to another contract with Duran, it wouldn’t mean the team can’t or won’t trade him, as McAdam explained. However, as the organization has long found, it’s been difficult to find a viable trade partner or an adequate return for the player.
So if a trade fails again, he’ll remain under team control for another season and provide depth. Especially with the uncertainty surrounding Roman Anthony’s health, having at least a warm body in the outfield group can’t hurt.
Duran had a career-bad year at the plate in 2026, finishing with a .207 batting average and .62 OPS. He reached the 20-home run plateau and logged 21 stolen bases, but some of his season was consumed by run-ins with fans and even his own teammate at one point. In three Wild Card Series at-bats, he failed to record a hit and struck out once.
Last December, Boston reportedly sought a “front-of-the-rotation” starting pitcher in exchange for Duran. No team bit at that offer then, and it’s hard to believe a team would change their minds after the player’s most recent campaign.
Nevertheless, it sounds like the Red Sox will try to complete a swap once more. Duran won’t be a free agent until 2029, which means his team — whether it be Boston or a trade partner — would have control for another three years.
McAdam is of the belief that the Red Sox should part ways with Duran. He also thinks the organization should figure out a trade involving Duran that gets Boston a power bat in return.
“The feeling is that given Duran’s age, that he’s now two years from free agency, that he’s coming off a disappointing — it’s not just last year,” McAdam said during a MassLive mailbag. “He’s had two years in a row now where his performance has gone down. … This is not anywhere near the dynamic talent that we saw two years ago.”
Duran’s 2024 All-Star Game MVP season, in which he hit .285 with an .834 OPS and 21 home runs, is a far cry from the player he’s become. His value is at an all-time low entering this winter, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him stick around with the Red Sox for another year.
McAdam reported the organization has never approached the player about a contract extension. Duran even said publicly after this year’s trade deadline that he thought he was going to be released due to his poor performance.
Despite all of this, Boston has shown for the last two years that it’s willing to keep Duran in the lineup even through his toughest stretches. If there is indeed a normal MLB regular season next year, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see the Red Sox run it back with Duran in hopes that they’ll get an even partially improved version of the player.
Kaley BrownSports producer
Kaley Brown is a sports producer who covers breaking and trending news about the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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