Credit outfielder Jarren Duran as one reason the Red Sox are where they are. And if all goes according to plan, Duran will be rewarded with an All-Star selection in the coming weeks.
In his fourth Major League season, Duran is enjoying his finest output to date. After a tough first two years in the majors, rumblings indicated fans were ready to move on from the outfielder. Too much of a whole lot of nothing came off the bat and in the field. Rightful criticisms, to be sure, but rushed considering the inexperience.
Patience by Duran and the Red Sox has paid off. Signs of improvement arrived in '23 and now, in '24, Duran is ready to have the last laugh.
Having an All-Star season
In 2021 and 2022, Duran was a part-time player who hadn't quite grasped play at the big-league level. He hit in the low .200's and in 91 games struck out 103 times. Coupled with some questionable play and mental lapses in the outfield, one wondered if Duran would rise to meet expectations.
Then, in 2023, Duran started to put it all together.
It was a season cut short in August thanks to a turf toe injury that required surgery. Prior, Duran enjoyed his best season to-date, where he excelled in the leadoff spot and hit .295. Duran played in 102 games and hit 34 doubles and swiped 24 bases.
In 2024, Duran is on pace to shatter all previous career-highs.
The speedster has played in all of Boston's 80 games and leads the team in batting average (.288), hits (96), runs (55), doubles (23), and triples (10). Duran is second in stolen bases with 20 and has seven home runs to go along with 37 RBI.
In making the case of an All-Star selection, these numbers also put him among some of the best in baseball. Duran is fifth overall in hits and tops in triples. In the American League, Duran is tied for first in doubles, third in hits, tied for fourth in stolen bases, tied for sixth in runs, and is ninth in batting average.
The month of June has seen Duran up his game even more. A 14-game hitting streak only recently came to an end. Thanks in part to 13 multi-hit games in June, Duran raised his average by 31 points.
Duran has been special so far in '24 and he is one of a handful of Red Sox players worthy of an All-Star selection.
Boston Red Sox: Other possible All-Stars
Dealing with injuries galore (Triston Casas and Trevor Story, plus too many players to list who have missed at least some games), the worst could have been expected for the Red Sox. Instead, they have won 11 of 15 and sit eight games back in the A.L. East with a record of 43-37.
Along with Duran, a trio of players are leading the charge in keeping the Red Sox hot.
Rafael Devers was somewhat slow out of the gate and dealt with injuries of his own. But the star has warmed up as of late and looking like the MVP candidate many hope him to be.
Devers is hitting .285 with 16 home runs, 42 RBI, and 47 runs. The third baseman has a .559 slugging percentage and an OPS of .927. In June, Devers is hitting .300 and has posted an OPS of .984.
Catcher Connor Wong doesn't have quite the eye-popping numbers but he, too, has enjoyed the best season of his career. In 57 games, Wong is hitting .330, collecting 66 hits, 7 home runs, 29 RBI, and has struck out only 42 times in 200 at-bats.
Wong has also achieved greater success behind the plate, throwing out 10 of 29 runners on stolen base attempts (which would be the best percentage of his career if the rate holds).
On the mount, it is starter Tanner Houck who should see an All-Star nod. Houck is 7-5 with a 2.18 ERA, tossing 103.1 innings and 101 strikeouts. Houck has been consistent and allowed only two home runs.
Reliever Brennan Bernardino could get consideration, too, as he has posted a 1.23 ERA. Throwing 29.1 innings, Bernardino struck out 28.
I don't imagine all five will receive All-Star selections. At best, the Red Sox will get three and they could receive only one. Duran has some work to do in the voting, with so many outstanding outfielders in the group.
Still, it is fantastic to see Duran playing at such a high level at the plate and in the field. Hopefully, the trend continues, and Duran remains a cornerstone of the Red Sox for years to come.
*Update (6/27) - Final results were released and neither Duran or Devers, who were Boston's best shots at being selected, advanced to Phase 2 of voting. Now, they wait things out to be possibly selected as reserves
Next up: Three games at Fenway with the San Diego Padres, starting June 28.
photo credit: Jason Haskins
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