Jarren Duran Drops Bold — But True — Take on Role With Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are loaded in the oufield. This was the last year and is the case even more so now.

Last year, there was a lot of chatter about the idea of trading an outfielder because the club had Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida with Roman Anthony expected to make the jump to the big leagues at some point in 2025. Now, the Red Sox have all of those guys, plus Anthony isn't down in the minors this year. He's entering came as a bona fide, everyday starter for the club.

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It's a good problem to have. That's a lot of talent in the outfield. So much so that not everybody is going to be out there every day. There will surely be days off for players, but the designated hitter spot is going to be integral for the outfield as well. Boston has already made it clear that when Rafaela and Abreu are in the lineup, they will be in the outfield and not DHing.

The Red Sox have DH decisions to make

Sep 19, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) is congratulated after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

That would leave Anthony and Duran as options. On Monday, Duran embraced the possibility when speaking to the media. In fact, he dropped a bold but very likely true take in the process as well.

"Well, I would be the fastest DH in the league,” Duran said about the possibility of getting time as the team's designated hitter. “So that’s a start.”

Duran is one of the fastest players in baseball overall. He finished in the 91st percentile in sprint speed in 2025. In 2024, he was in the 96th percentile in sprint speed. Duran was in the 96th percentile in sprint speed in 2023 as well. There are few players in baseball quicker than Duran and the designated hitter spot isn't typically known for its speed.

Take a look at the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, for example. Yordan Álvarez is the Astros' DH and was in the 21st percentile in 2025 in sprint speed. Kyle Schwarber is the designated hitter for the Phillies and was in the 14th percentile in sprint speed in 2025. Those are just two examples and each team is built differently. But Duran in the DH spot certainly would be a unique look at the position.

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