The Boston Red Sox are well past the early-season downfall that almost pushed them to a sell-off during the trade deadline. They have recovered splendidly via a 15-game winning streak. The Red Sox hold the second AL Wild Card spot and are six games above .500. Though the team is no longer slumping, their 29-year-old outfielder has not been able to snap out of his own struggles. During the Red Sox’s 5-4 win over the Athletics, Jarren Duran’s frustrations boiled over mid-game.

During the sixth inning on Thursday, Jarren Duran wanted to break the tie and hit the go-ahead run. The score was knotted at 3-3, with runners on base with one out. Duran smashed a 245-foot fly ball and expected Willson Contreras to score from third base. It was not deep enough, and third base coach Chad Epperson quickly prompted Contreras to return to base. He had inched a bit towards home plate before returning as Tyler Soderstrom caught the ball. This evoked an outburst from Duran that the broadcast cameras caught. After the game, Duran dismissed the entire incident as “nothing.”

“That’s nothing. It’s something within the team that we have that we work on, and it’s nothing you guys need to know. Nobody needs to know,” Duran said to the reporters, per Tyler Milliken on X. “That’s something between us and the team that we know it’s about, so that doesn’t really matter.”

Following his fly out, it was unclear whether Duran was mad at Contreras, Epperson, or himself. The cameras caught him yelling expletives while heading towards the dugout. Clearly frustrated with getting out for nothing, Duran even faced the field and shouted a “run” while gesturing with his hands. It was most likely directed at Contreras. Jomboy Media posted the entire sequence on X.

The latest incident adds to a litany of mishaps Duran previously found himself wrapped in. Even this year in April, during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, Duran flashed an obscene gesture (middle finger) toward the stands following a fifth-inning groundout. Add that to volatile exchanges with fans in recent years, and it becomes apparent that Duran isn’t shy of sharing his feelings. His performances this season aren’t doing him any favors either.

Duran is navigating a difficult campaign. He is batting .195 this season and went 0-for-4 on Thursday. Under a one-year, $7.7 million contract with the Red Sox, Duran is clearly not in the right headspace amid his slump. His dynamic exploits from two seasons ago seem a distant memory; so does his MVP-winning performance at the 2024 All-Star Game. Duran’s self-indignation was clear in his post-game remarks.

“Yeah. I [expletive] suck,” Duran told MLB.com. “Of course I’m [expletive] p—-d at myself. I can’t even do an [expletive] job for this team.”

After the match, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy also said that most of his frustration was directed at himself for not getting the run. Despite his outburst, the team remains supportive of him. It was evident from what Willson Contreras said.

Willson Contreras breaks silence over Duran’s outburst

Willson Contreras continued to rise to the occasion for the Red Sox on Thursday. Going 2-for-3, the first baseman hit the go-ahead, game-winning home run for the Red Sox in the eighth inning. Contreras launched his homer off Athletics reliever Luis Medina right after Wilyer Abreu tied the score with his solo shot.

After the game, Contreras was asked about what went down with Jarren Duran in the sixth inning. He confirmed that he did not take the outburst personally.

“I wasn’t sure [what made Duran upset]. I mean, I love Jarren. He’s one of the guys that plays with emotions,” Contreras told MLB.com. “Plays 100 percent. We love him here, and he is one of the guys that if I need to go to war, I’m gonna pick him because he’s going to give his 100 percent.”

“I saw him doing some stuff, but I would not take that personally. I love the guy, and we need the guy here. We need his energy, and I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him yet, but it’s nothing personal.”

Contreras also revealed that he was “tempted” to attempt scoring in the sixth. But ultimately let it go, listening to coach Epperson. Contreras also assured that he will talk with Duran once he calms down.