Boston Red Sox Offer Intriguing Outfield Trade Candidate For Astros

Boston's abundance of outfielders could help the Astros this winter.

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After missing the playoffs, the Houston Astros will be looking to upgrade the roster to get back into the postseason in 2026. There could be a big obstacle that the front office will have to overcome if left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez leaves in free agency. That would mean they would have to replace him in free agency or a trade.

The free agency route might be difficult to do after Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Astros need a left-handed bat this offseason and another outfielder. They could fill both needs in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, who have an abundance of outfielders and are expected to trade one this winter.

Astros Should Look to Trade for Red Sox Outfielder Jarren Duran

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The Red Sox have four outfielders for three spots. Prospect Roman Anthony, bursting onto the scene in 2025, created a logjam in the outfield. Boston has Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela.

If chief baseball officer Craig Breslow moves an outfielder, it would likely be Duran. Rafaela and Abreu both won a Gold Glove this past season. Raefala winning one was impressive after he played second base as well for manager Alex Cora.

Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN listed 25 players who could be traded this offseason, and Duran was near the top of the list. Houston was not one of the teams mentioned; however, he could be an under-the-radar acquisition by Houston.

"Duran has elite bat speed and foot speed, along with a good arm, so his physical tools can lead to a return to something like his star performance from 2024,'' McDaniel and Passan wrote.

Duran's numbers prove how he can impact a lineup. He slashed .256/.332/.442 for Boston in 2025 with 16 home runs and a career-high 84 RBIs. He had 41 doubles and 13 triples as he used the whole field for a second straight year. In 2024, Duran had a career-high 21 home runs, 48 doubles, and 14 triples.

Would Duran solve the need for a power left-handed bat? Maybe not in terms of home runs, but he has elite speed on the base paths, whether it's stealing bases or legging out extra base hits.

What the price would be to acquire him is not known, but what is known is that Boston is open to listening on their outfielders, and one can be had for the right price. Duran is the one Houston should target.

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