Red Sox actually didn't solve their Jarren Duran problem at all, and now they have to

Jun 16, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

It seemed like such a sure thing in the offseason.

The Boston Red Sox were going to trade Jarren Duran, or another one of their outfielders. They had too many. Right?

Well, no one ended up getting traded. They're all still there.

And now with the Red Sox scuffling, it's pretty darn clear that one probably needs to get traded before this summer's deadline.

When everyone is healthy, they've got Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela.

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Rafaela is likely safe, because he's the obvious centerfielder of the group, and Duran is probably the most logical to be dealt away.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel list him as a trade candidate in a new article, although they say it's only a 20% chance that Boston trades him.

Frankly, it feels like that number should be higher -- but they likely have the buzz of the situation and get the sense that for whatever reason, the Red Sox still aren't in a rush here.

"Maybe you've heard this one before: The Red Sox need to figure out what to do with their outfield," the ESPN duo writes. "It's not an issue at the moment due to Roman Anthony's busted finger, but if Boston is in plan-for-the-future mode, the same bewildering questions that have cropped up since Anthony's arrival won't go away."

Duran remains a solid player, and he's under contract through 2028. He would command a solid trade return.

"It's fairly apparent at this point that Ceddanne Rafaela is Boston's center fielder and Wilyer Abreu is its right fielder," Passan and McDaniel write. "Left will be Anthony's whenever he returns. And while it helps that nobody has capably filled the DH spot and the Red Sox could theoretically play all four at once, Duran has gone backward offensively and might just need a fresh start. Whether Boston is willing to deal low is the real question."

This rough season should push the Red Sox to do something. It feels like it's getting to be about time for the Duran move that everyone has seen coming.

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