Red Sox Breakout Star Predicted To Land First-Team All-MLB Honors

Boston's high-flying outfielder could be in line for some serious hardware...

Aug 18, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) at the plate during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports / Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox have had several breakout players on their roster in 2024, and one stands out above the rest.

There's starting pitcher Tanner Houck, who made his first All-Star team after being uncertain to make the Opening Day rotation. There's outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who has a shot to win Rookie of the Year.. There's even David Hamilton, who earned an unexpected call-up and leads all rookies in stolen bases

However, it's 27-year-old outfielder Jarren Duran who has stolen the show. The electric all-around talent has been a driving force behind the team's success all year. And his talents recently caught the eye of a panel of experts, who believe Duran may earn one of the game's most exclusive honors.

MLB.com, which has periodically had writers predict who will land on this season's All-MLB team, picked Duran as a first-team outfielder on their most recent projections, published Tuesday. Manny Randhawa of MLB.com had this to say:

"(Duran) is enjoying a breakout year for Boston. The speedy center fielder has been excellent both offensively and defensively, with an MLB-leading 13 triples to go along with an .845 OPS at the plate and, entering Monday, +8 Outs Above Average in the field."

In addition to the numbers above, Duran has 6.9 wins above replacement, which ranks fifth among all position players in baseball. He also has 16 home runs, 37 doubles, and 31 stolen bases.

Duran not only earned an All-Star nod in 2024, his first year on the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, but he won All-Star MVP. He belted a two-run home run off the Cincinnati Reds' Hunter Greene to give the American League a 5-3 lead, which ended up being the game's final score.

Amid all his success, Duran's season took an ugly turn when he drew a two-game suspension for yelling a homophobic slur at a fan behind home plate on August 11. He apologized in a written statement and again on camera, calling his actions "horrific" and "offensive."

Though Duran and manager Alex Cora have both acknowledged the work he needs to do off the field to atone for his actions, his play on the field has been nothing short of spectacular. And if the writers' predictions hold true, Duran could be in line for some serious hardware when the season ends.

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