The Red Sox haven’t yet discussed a contract extension with Jarren Duran, the outfielder told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo earlier this week, though Duran doesn’t seem bothered by the lack of talks. “I’m just here to play baseball. If they come talk to me, then they come talk to me, but I’m just enjoying playing baseball with this team,” Duran said. The Sox aren’t exactly on a ticking clock, as Duran doesn’t reach arbitration eligibility until this coming winter, though he will likely qualify for Super Two status and thus earn a fourth arbitration year.
That extra arb year could make things very lucrative for Duran, given how has continued to up his game in 2024. He has hit .280/.347/.478 over 350 plate appearances this season, just about matching the numbers he posted over 362 PA in 2023. When combined with his excellent baserunning and solid defense in left and center field, Duran has generated 3.1 fWAR, a number topped by only eight players this season.
Considering how Duran struggled in his first two big league seasons, it isn’t surprising that the Red Sox wanted a little more data beyond just 2023 to make sure that Duran’s breakout was for real. Signing Duran to an extension will be a lot more expensive now than it would’ve been last winter, yet it still might allow the Red Sox to gain some certainty over Duran’s escalating arb salaries, and add another year of control or two over a player they might now view as a longer-term building block. That said, Duran’s age could also be a factor, as he turns 28 in September, and so Boston already has him arb-controlled through his age-31 season.
More from around the AL East…
- Jordan Romano’s throwing progression has been paused due to some elbow soreness, Blue Jays manager John Schneider told MLB.com’s Henry Palattella (X link) and other media. Romano was supposed to pitch off a mound today for the first time since being placed on the 15-day IL due to right elbow inflammation back on June 1, but now that plan has been temporarily set aside. Elbow discomfort has been an issue for Romano for all season, resulting in a pair of IL trips and a rough 6.59 ERA over 13 2/3 innings in between those absences. Toronto’s bullpen has struggled for much of the season, and is currently without its projected top three relievers. Romano and Yimi Garcia are injured, and Erik Swanson is currently in Triple-A trying to get on track after posting a 9.22 ERA in his first 13 2/3 innings of 2024.
- Season-ending injuries to John Means, Tyler Wells, and now Kyle Bradish have only underlined the Orioles’ need for starting pitching, and Baltimore is widely expected to pursue rotation help at the deadline. However, sources tell The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, Katie Woo, and Ken Rosenthal that GM Mike Elias hasn’t felt the need to become any more aggressive in the wake of Bradish’s Tommy John surgery, and that the O’s might still wait until closer to the actual deadline to make any pitching moves. The Orioles’ 49-26 record gives them plenty of breathing room to evaluate their needs, though Baltimore is also in a tight race with the Yankees for the AL East crown.
- Ending the notes post with another Red Sox item, Boston reinstated Wilyer Abreu from the 10-day injured list today, and optioned Bobby Dalbec to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Abreu has missed just shy of three weeks with a sprained ankle, interrupting the outfielder’s quietly outstanding play since making his MLB debut last season. Abreu had a .862 OPS over 85 PA in 2023, and with his rookie status still intact, has now gained some Rookie of the Year buzz with his .272/.344/.485 slash line over 189 PA this season.