Padres Named Best Fit for $3.85 Million All-Star Outfielder in Blockbuster Trade

ESPN baseball columnist Jeff Passan named the San Diego Padres as the best match for Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran, who would solve their problem in left field.

The Padres have been without an everyday left fielder since Jason Heyward's injury May 24, as they DFA'd him and ultimately released him upon his return.

Designated hitter Gavin Sheets has played 31 games in left since Heyward's departure, however with his presence in the field, the designated hitter spot is surrounded with uncertainty. Duran has been heavily linked with the Padres since the hole in their outfield opened.

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Among MLB left fielders, the Padres have the fifth worst wRC+ in MLB, and rank bottom five in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Duran has played across the outfield in his five-season MLB career, and has been electric since he broke out in 2024. He made his first All-Star game last season, and placed eighth in AL MVP voting. He led MLB in plate appearances and at-bats, and also paced the league with 48 doubles and 14 triples.

He posted a career-high .834 OPS and had an OPS+ well above league average at 131.

This season he's not quite as hot, but has still been a stellar option in the outfield for the Red Sox. He still leads the majors in triples with 10, and has eight homers and 50 RBIs through 93 games. He has an OPS of .756 and is still above league average with a 107 OPS+.

The Red Sox would be open to moving Duran due to their crowded outfield, as they called up MLB's No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony this season, have a consistently strong bat in Wilyer Abreu and have seen massive offensive improvement from Ceddanne Rafaela compared to last season.

Duran will remain with the club through this season if he is traded, and the Padres will have an option to keep him for 2026 as well before two years of arbitration.

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If the Padres are to make a move on Duran, they need to do so as soon as possible so not to fall behind in the race for the final spot in the NL Wild Card. They are one game back from the San Francisco Giants in the WIld Card, and have the opportunity to pass them over the next few days when they play the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Padres also have a challenge heading into their final four games of the All-Star break, as they finish a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks — who have held them to six runs over three games — Thursday at 6:40 p.m. PT before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game set over the weekend.

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