Red Sox's Craig Breslow Gets Candid On All-Star Jarren Duran

Will the Red Sox and Duran come to terms in the near future?
Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran (16) scores on a on a throwing error to first base against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran (16) scores on a on a throwing error to first base against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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The Boston Red Sox made a somewhat surprising decision earlier in the week.

Major League Baseball teams and arbitration-eligible players had until Thursday to file expected salaries for the 2025 season. The majority of players and teams end up settling and avoiding arbitration. Not every player, though.

The Red Sox avoided arbitration with every eligible player on the roster aside from All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran. Boston filed at $3.5 million while Duran filed at $4 million. That $500,000 difference could end up leading the two sides to an arbitration hearing where the two sides will need to make their case for why they filed the numbers they did.

It's somewhat surprising that the Red Sox wouldn't give in and pay Duran this price after a great 2024 season. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow spoke to NESN's Tom Caron on Saturday about the contract situation.

"It would be unfair and irresponsible to kind of speak to details," Breslow said. "Out of respect to Jarren, I will avoid doing that. Arbitration is an imperfectly rigid system that determines salaries and I think the most important thing here is to acknowledge that Jarren is an incredibly talented player who is going to have a pivotal role on our team and in this organization for a really long time,

"He and I have a great relationship and speak regularly. It's just that this is kind of a construct that we have to go through. At the end of the day, we are really excited about what Jarren Duran is going to bring to the field to this team in 2025...I talked to him yesterday...I've been through this on the other side, and I know how these things can go sideways. We have no interest in that."

This sounds very promising from Breslow. Hopefully, the two sides can work things out before it goes to a hearing.

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu