Dynamic Outfielder Could Be Game-Changer For Red Sox; Is He Finally Taking Step Forward?
The Boston Red Sox already are looking different than they did on Opening Day.
Boston has had a roller coaster of a start to the 2023 campaign and already has dealt with a plethora of injuries. One of the biggest injuries to the club so far has been to outfielder Adam Duvall as he suffered a fractured wrist and is expected to miss at least one to two months.
Because of the loss of Duvall, Boston called young outfielder Jarren Duran back up to the big leagues and he's expected to play a major role moving forward. At one point Duran was one of the top prospects in the Boston organization but hasn't lived up to the hype at the big league level over the last two seasons.
Over the last two years Duran has slashed .219/.269/.354 to go along with five home runs and 27 RBIs in 91 games. The young speedster also added nine stolen bases and five triples. Duran was drafted in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft and shot up the Red Sox's farm system.
Duran entered spring training fighting for a role with the club after Boston's signings of Duvall and Masataka Yoshida. The 26-year-old shined in the spring and slashed .333/.455/.667 in nine games to go along with one home run and one stolen base in nine games while implementing a new approach at the plate.
With Duvall out for an extended period of time, Boston is going to need Duran to step up in a major way. Duran has plenty of potential and upside and if he's able to play at even a portion of the way he did in spring, he could certainly help the Red Sox. He has dynamic speed and if he's able to get on base truly can change a baseball game. The 26-year-old also has plenty of pop in his bat.
At one point it seemed like Duran was going to be on his way out of town, now he may be in the lineup nearly every day.
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