Red Sox's Jarren Duran Predictably Beating Himself Up Over Aaron Judge Blooper

One of many haunting moments...

Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits an hits an RBI single during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It wasn't a titanic blast from Aaron Judge that burned the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. It was an end-of-the-bat blooper.

In the bottom of the fifth inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series, Judge hit a 78.9-mph line drive to left field with the go-ahead run on second base. Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran didn't get a great read on the ball, but still closed on it with time to spare. But as he half-lunged, half-dived after the ball, it clanked off his glove to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

It was a play any big-league left fielder should expect to make, let alone a standout athlete like Duran. And in the aftermath of the crushing loss, Duran was quick to be his own harshest critic.

Duran reflects on missed liner

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (right) and shortstop Trevor Story against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I was playing pretty deep on Judge, and as I was coming in, I thought it was hit a little harder than it was, and then I gained more ground than I thought,” Duran said, per Sean McAdam of MassLive. “I didn't really have to go into a full dive there and just pushed the ball on myself a little more.

“This one’s going to sting a little bit. ”I know that game’s 100 percent on me. If I make that play, Trevor hits the homer and we take the lead. But I messed it up, gave them momentum and things just happened from there. That’s one on me; I’m going to have to wear that one."

It's a delicate balance with Duran, because fans typically love accountability, and the 29-year-old has never shied away from taking the blame. But he also has a tendency to beat himself up over mistakes, which can create a negative feedback loop and zap his confidence.

Going into a winner-take-all game, Duran will be expected to play more of an impact role with a righty on the mound for the Yankees. He needs to be in attack mode, both offensively and defensively, and there's no room for self-doubt.

So while it's admirable that he doesn't want to shy away from the blame for a loss, the Red Sox had better hope that by the time this story is up, Duran is already over the mistake and ready to play fearless baseball on Thursday.

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