Red Sox All-Star Continues to Surface as Padres Trade Target Ahead of Deadline

The San Diego Padres' biggest need heading into the trade deadline has to be addressing the lack of offense from this team.

So far this season, the Padres have been arguably the worst hitting team in all of MLB, ranking last in multiple categories including team batting average (.218), slugging percentage (.316) and OPS (.652).

President of baseball operations A.J. Preller will look to deal with these issues at the deadline, and that could see the Padres be very active. San Diego has to bring in some sort of spark for the offense, and the team has been linked with a few names who could provide this.

One of these players is All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox, who could be on the move with Boston struggling this year. The Padres were mentioned in trade talks for Duran over the winter, but nothing ever came together.

Former MLB general manager and insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic again connected Duran to the Padres recently.

"If the Red Sox decide to 'sell,' they could end up the headliner at the trade deadline because most teams need a starting pitcher (Sonny Gray), an impact left-handed reliever (Aroldis Chapman) and an outfield bat (Jarren Duran). … I think the Red Sox fit best with the Phillies or Padres on Duran," Bowden wrote.

Duran has seen a down year so far with Boston, but a change of scenery could be needed for him. The Red Sox just haven't been good this year, and it has impacted multiple guys in their lineup.

On the year, the one-time All-Star has hit .210 with 12 home runs, 37 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .659. But Duran has the type of ability that could work perfectly with the Padres, especially his electric nature on the field.

The Padres need a boost in a big way, and Duran could be the answer for this team. Putting his bat into the lineup alongside Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and others could see this offense finally get going.

Duran is also under contract for another two seasons following 2026, so he wouldn't just be a rental for the Padres. This could offer San Diego an All-Star talent for years to come, giving Preller more of a reason to make the move.

The Padres have also been linked with Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman this year, so maybe the two sides could come together on a major trade. Preller has been known to make aggressive moves like this in the past, and maybe he has more tricks up his sleeve.

If the Padres could add Duran and Chapman, they would set themselves up very well for the stretch run of the year. The postseason has been the only goal for this team all year long, but unless major moves are made, the chances remain fairly low with how the team is currently playing.

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