Red Sox Predicted To Trade Fan Favorite All-Star After Roman Anthony News

Every move a front office makes has ripple effects. We'll soon see what that means for the Boston Red Sox's Roman Anthony extension.

The Red Sox and Anthony announced an eight-year, $130 million extension, which can reach up to $230 million with incentives and a club option, with a press conference on Wednesday. Anthony's family was in attendance, as were chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, CEO Sam Kennedy, and principal owner John Henry.

It was a celebratory day for the entire organization, but it was also a reminder that as this team is taking shape for the long haul, not everyone currently around is going to be a part of the fun.

What did Roman Anthony's extension mean for Jarren Duran?

Jarren Duran, who attended Anthony's press conference and even posted a congratulatory message for his young teammate on Instagram, was the subject of a ton of trade rumors in the two months after the 21-year-old's debut. Now that the deadline has passed and Anthony is extended, is it all but guaranteed that Duran will be traded this offseason?

That's what FanSided's Lior Lampert believes. Lampert predicted Wednesday that Duran would be dealt elsewhere now that Anthony is ready to play left field full-time alongside center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela and right fielder Wilyer Abreu.

"The writing has been on the wall for Duran," wrote Lampert. "Red Sox fans have watched him develop from a hindrance to an All-Star since 2021. He's become a legitimate five-tool player who can man all three outfield positions while emerging as a respected clubhouse leader. Be that as it may, Anthony's payday effectively marks the end for him in Beantown.

"Duran is the only one of Boston's outfield quartet (him, Anthony, Rafaela and Abreu) who isn't locked up through at least 2030. He's under team control for three more campaigns, though, and is firmly in the prime of his career (turns 29 on Sep. 5). With that in mind, the Red Sox have a golden sell-high opportunity that would be foolish not to cash in on."

It's not like Anthony's extension represented a major change here -- Duran was already on the chopping block in the minds of many. The San Diego Padres, who the Red Sox play this weekend, have long coveted the 28-year-old, and perhaps seeing him in person will reinforce their desire to make a deal happen.

But until Duran is gone for sure, Red Sox fans are happy to have him, as he's been tearing the cover off the ball since the start of July. And even if trading him turns out to be the right move long-term, it would be a tough pill to swallow for both the fan base and the clubhouse.