Jarren Duran’s name is already back in the trade mix, and one possible destination keeps popping up: San Diego.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post said during a Bleacher Report livestream earlier in the week that if Boston deals Duran this winter, it will "probably" be to the San Diego Padres. Heyman added that the Padres "love" him.
"Duran has been sort of on the block without getting traded for years," Heyman said. "If he's going anywhere, it's probably the Padres. We know that the Padres love him, for whatever reason."
That connection is not new. Boston reportedly turned down a major Padres offer for Duran in 2025, according to Sean McAdam of MassLive.com.
That package was centered around Dylan Cease and catching prospect Ethan Salas. Cease was on track for free agency after the season, but the real surprise was Boston passing on Salas, who is just 20 years old and made his big league debut this season.
Duran’s profile has changed since then. He is 30, a one-time All-Star and a one-time All-Star Game MVP.
He posted a 9.0 WAR season in 2024, then dropped to 0.4 WAR in 2026. That dip means his trade value is nowhere near where it once was, even if Boston can still find a market for him.
The Red Sox would be in decent shape in the outfield if they moved him. Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu would still be there, with Eli White available as a fourth outfielder.
For now, Duran stands as the most interesting trade name on Boston’s roster. He didn’t have the year he wanted, but the possibility of a winter move is still very much alive.
In Other News...
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Preller also said the club intends to be more proactive in player acquisitions, a hint that the Padres are not planning to sit back and wait for the market to come to them. There were updates on reliever Jeremiah Estradas throwing program and Gavin Sheets injury management, plus word that most of the coaching staff is expected back next season, even if the final shape of the staff still has some sorting out to do. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Have A Lineup Flaw Preller Can't Wait To Fix
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The need is obvious enough: the Padres need more left-handed production against right-handed pitching, and their lineup lagged in that area in 2026. With the possibility of an MLB lockout starting Dec. 1 hanging over the market, Preller may not have the luxury of a long runway to solve it, which only raises the pressure to find a fit before the window closes. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Have A Bigger Gavin Sheets Problem Than Expected
Gavin Sheets gave the Padres something they had been looking for when they brought him in as a left-handed bat, but his foot injury has quickly complicated that picture heading into the offseason. With no surgery expected, the bigger question now is less about recovery procedure and more about whether San Diego can count on him to be available when the season opens and to fill the role the club had in mind.
That uncertainty matters because the Padres were already weighing ways to add another left-handed option to the bench, and the market offers a few names with more proven availability and production. Nathaniel Lowe and Cedric Mullins are among the free agents who could fit that need, giving San Diego a possible alternative if Sheets status leaves too much doubt in a roster spot that was supposed to be straightforward. [Read more 🡒]