The Red Sox have spent plenty of the recent spotlight on Roman Anthony, but Jarren Duran has quietly started to look like the kind of hitter who can change the temperature around Boston’s lineup.
Anthony still isn’t ready to return, yet the Red Sox have given themselves some breathing room in the American League Wild Card race. They’ve gone 7-3 over their last 10 games, even with two straight losses, and now sit in the No.
2 American League Wild Card spot. Boston also owns a 5 1/2-game cushion over the Cleveland Guardians, who are currently in the No. 3 spot.
While the attention has been elsewhere, Duran has begun to heat up. That matters because he’s taken more than his share of criticism from Red Sox fans this season, and his recent stretch is the kind of run that can make a lineup feel a lot deeper in a hurry.
Over his last 12 games, the 29-year-old has hit .300/.333/.525 with an .858 OPS. In that span, he has two home runs, five RBIs, one stolen base, one double, one triple and eight runs scored.
That surge comes against the backdrop of a tough overall season at the plate. Duran is hitting .209/.265/.368 with a .633 OPS, and if the year ended now, it would be a new career low in batting average.
Even so, he has still found ways to contribute. Through 126 games, he has 18 homers, 66 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and 14 doubles, while also providing value defensively.
The bigger issue has been the strikeouts and the lack of consistent on-base production.
Now, though, there are signs he may be turning a corner. If this version of Duran sticks, Boston’s offense starts to look a lot more dangerous.
And that’s before Anthony and Trevor Story are even back. Add those two in, and the Red Sox suddenly have the chance to build a lineup without many soft spots. Duran has mostly been batting near the bottom of the order lately, usually around No. 7 or No. 8, but if he keeps producing, that gives Boston even more ways to pressure opposing pitchers.
A group featuring Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Willson Contreras near the top, followed by Duran, Nick Sogard and Story later in the order, would leave very little room to breathe.
In Other News...
Red Sox Make Tough Bullpen Call As Garrett Whitlock Returns
Garrett Whitlock was back on the mound for the Red Sox during their doubleheader against the Yankees, and the move came with a familiar kind of roster squeeze. To make room, Boston optioned rookie right-hander Wyatt Olds back to Triple-A Worcester after a promising major league debut that had given the club a brief look at another arm it might be able to trust.
Raymond Burgos was brought up as the 27th man for the twin bill, giving the bullpen an extra body for the long day. Olds quick return to Worcester was a reminder of how little margin there is in a doubleheader, especially when a pitcher like Whitlock is ready to rejoin the mix and force the Red Sox to make a difficult call. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Try Drastic Lineup Jolt After Embarrassing Yankees Shutouts
After back-to-back shutout losses, the Red Sox are going with a noticeably different look for the opener of their doubleheader against the Yankees. Jahmai Jones is at the top of the order as the designated hitter, while Jarren Duran is out of the starting lineup, and Boston is trying to shake loose an offense that has gone flat at the wrong time.
Jake Bennett is scheduled to start on the mound, giving the Red Sox a chance to reset both sides of the game in one afternoon. Lineup changes can only do so much, but after consecutive blankings, Boston clearly felt it needed something different against a division rival that has already made the air feel heavier in this series. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Could Get A Needed Lineup Boost At Perfect Time
Roman Anthony and Trevor Story have both wrapped up their rehab assignments with Triple-A Worcester and are expected to join the Red Sox in New York, putting Boston in position to get two important bats back at a time when the lineup could use a lift. Either player could be activated during the upcoming series against the Yankees, and the timing lines up with a club that is looking for answers after back-to-back shutout losses.
The Red Sox have not made any official announcement yet, but the possibility of adding Anthony and Story to the mix gives the trip to New York a different feel. For a team trying to shake off a quiet stretch at the plate, getting healthier in the middle of a division series could be exactly the kind of boost it needs. [Read more 🡒]