ESPN sees elite outfielder as top trade fit for Mets

Could the New York Mets pursue this speedy Red Sox standout before the trade deadline?

Jun 23, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) reaches second on a double against the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In a June 3 episode of The Show: A New York Post baseball podcast with Joel Sherman & Jon Heyman, Heyman asserted that the New York Mets could be interested in trading for Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.

"Would the Red Sox trade one of their outfielders [to the Mets]? I mean, because you've got Roman Anthony, who's the best prospect in baseball... he looks pretty ready to me, but I'm just looking at the stat sheet," Heyman said.

"Duran, I think Duran is out there. I think [the Mets] would talk about him," he continued.

Heyman isn't the only MLB insider who thinks that Duran makes sense for the Mets. In a June 24 article, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel conveyed that New York is one of his top trade fits if Boston is to deal him.

"Duran had a huge breakout season in 2024, posting the seventh-best WAR in the majors at 6.7. He overperformed his underlying metrics, though -- i.e., had some lucky outcomes -- and those metrics have regressed a bit this year. Now he's underperforming them -- he has been unlucky -- so his true talent is somewhere south of that star-level 6.7 figure but better than the roughly 2 WAR (commensurate with a solid regular) he's on pace for this season," the article wrote before noting that the Mets are one of seven teams that appear to be good fits for Duran.

The article also assessed that the Red Sox speedster has a 25% chance of getting traded before the deadline.

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New and free at ESPN with @kileymcd: The top 50 trade candidates in MLB and where they would fit best. We'll be updating this weekly, with players moving up and down (and on and off) the list depending on their performance -- and that of their teams. https://t.co/cdUBCe4EDA

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 24, 2025

Durran is hitting .254 with a .711 OPS, 5 home runs, and 15 stolen bases this season. The Mets bringing him on board would be a marked upgrade at center field.