Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox Fan Favorite Provides Update On Extension Talks Amid All-Star Campaign

Boston should make the outfielder apart of their long-term plans

Scott Neville

May 20, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) is congratulated by outfielder Tyler O'Neill (17) after he caught the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) is congratulated by outfielder Tyler O'Neill (17) after he caught the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
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While Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow did not make a series of blockbuster moves over the offseason, he wasted little time locking up some young talent.

Right-hander Brayan Bello and outfielder/shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela were given long-term contracts to solidify their futures with the organization, which appears to be the start of many extensions that Breslow would be willing to pursue.

However, the first-time leader of baseball operations appears to be overlooking one of the most productive young players on the roster.

"(Jarren) Duran looks like a piece of Boston's core that is starting to crystallize with other young players like Triston Casas, Ceddanne Rafaela, Connor Wong, Wilyer Abreu and (Tanner) Houck taking steps forward in 2024. But unlike some of those other players, he has not discussed an extension with the Red Sox at any point," MassLive's Chris Cotillo wrote Wednesday.

"While chief baseball officer Craig Breslow moved aggressively to lock up both Rafaela and starter Brayan Bello on long-term deals during spring training, Duran said the club has never approached him about a similar deal."

Duran is hitting .277 with 37 extra-base hits including six home runs, 33 RBI and a .813 OPS while starting in all of the Red Sox's 75 games this season. The speedster also has swiped 19 bases in 22 attempts and recorded five defensive runs saves (94th percentile) between his time in left and center field.

The 27-year-old is under team control through his age-31 season in 2028 -- so there's certainly no rush to get a new deal done. What is telling, though, is that Breslow has reportedly had talks with the aforementioned core group and left out Duran. He will reach free agency at an older age than the majority of the bunch, so that likely has been a factor.

As much as you'd love to see one of Boston's best all-around players remain on the Red Sox as long as possible -- Duran has four full seasons before becoming a free agent.

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Scott Neville

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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