Red Sox Expected To Cut Ties With Starting Outfielder Via Trade: Insider

So then... which one?

Apr 26, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela (3) and right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) celebrate after the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Running the Boston Red Sox this offseason is an exciting job, but also a highly stressful one.

One wrong move could be the reason this highly talented team doesn't make the playoffs, but the perfect move could propel the Sox to World Series contention. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has to pull the right strings, and that likely means trading away talent in addition to bringing it in.

Outfielders Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu have both heard their names in trade rumors far more often than players of their caliber typically would expect, because the outfield is overcrowded with young stars. But will either actually be on the move?

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Duran or Abreu expected to be dealt, per Jeff Passan

On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan provided an update: Whether it's Duran or Abreu remains to be seen, but it's highly unlikely the Red Sox begin the upcoming season with both outfielders on their roster.

"The Red Sox almost surely will deal one of them," wrote Passan. "There aren't enough at-bats in the lineup for both, especially if they add another bat in free agency."

Duran has three years of control remaining and has proven to have the higher offensive ceiling thus far, putting together an eight-WAR season in 2024. But Abreu is now a two-time Gold Glover with a cannon for an arm, and if he ever hits his ceiling, he could also be a 30-homer candidate.

The Red Sox have at times stated the opinion that having four starting-caliber outfielders isn't a bad thing, and during the second half of the regular season, that proved to be true. But there are too many other needs to address not to cash in on one of these assets now.

And that begs the question: Which of the two is actually getting traded? More rumors have popped up around Duran's name, but as the Red Sox find out what sorts of offers are actually out there, they might find that moving Abreu is a preferable value proposition.

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