The clock may be ticking on Jarren Duran’s time in Boston, and three of his own teammates could be the ones pushing him out the door. Jim Bowden had reported that the Red Sox were actively listening to offers for the 29-year-old outfielder. And now, doubling down on this is an insider who has even named three players as to why Duran would be let go.

Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Roman Anthony might be the reason Duran walks away. On his podcast, insider Robbie Hyde identified these players as making more sense for the team’s roster and long-term plans.

“They have too many outfielders right now for starting spots… To me, I could see Duran being the odd man out.”

Abreu and Rafaela are both super defenders, and Anthony is one of baseball’s young talents and has already made it into the Boston Red Sox’s plans. Plus, Hyde mentioned that Duran’s offensive ability and years of cheap team control mean he would be an attractive trade target. So Hyde’s analysis isn’t wrong.

Now, which teams would be interested?

If the rumors are to be believed, the Dodgers, Reds, Pirates, and Royals make the most sense.

But just because Duran is on the plausible trade-away list does not mean he is not valuable. Even after a dip from his breakout 2024 run, he put in an impressive 2025 season. He hit .256 with a .774 OPS, 16 home runs, 84 RBIs, 41 doubles, and a league-leading 13 triples.

But the reality is grim, given Boston’s outfield is in a logjam.

Alongside Abreu, Rafaela, and Roman Anthony, the Red Sox have Masataka Yoshida, Kristian Campbell, and top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia pushing for reps. There appear to be more players than spots, and someone has to be left out.

Boston needs a front-line starter to pair with Garrett Crochet. In this context, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter suggests moving Duran to Kansas for All-Star lefty Kris Bubic. Now, that would clear the crowd all the while upgrading the rotation, as well.

Why Abreu, Rafaela, and Anthony make Duran’s exit plausible

Duran didn’t have a bad year. But the rest of the players had better ones!

Wilyer Abreu is fresh off the back-to-back Gold Gloves and is arguably one of the team’s most valuable outfield pieces. Even though he spent the latter half of the season on the IL and struggled upon returning, he still finished second on the team in terms of home runs. Plus, he provided key contributions on both the offense and defense when healthy.

Ceddane Rafaela is a first-time Gold Glove winner, and he is the anchor of Boston’s center field defense. He has shown flashes of offensive upside and has a knack for coming out of high-pressure moments prepped. So, his getting traded seems out of the question, as the Boston Red Sox could lose arguably the best defensive center fielder in the league.

Top Stories

New York Turns On David Stearns as Dodgers Quietly Move to Steal Edwin Díaz From Mets

“Goodbye My King” — Toronto Gets Emotional as Blue Jays Make Drastic Call on 28-Year-Old Pitcher

MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers to Trade Tyler Glasnow & Dalton Rushing to Red Sox for $7.7M Left Fielder

Panic Grips Toronto as Red Sox and Craig Breslow Make Major Push in Bo Bichette Heist Plot

Yankees Offensive Free Agency Ends Early as Cody Bellinger-Kyle Tucker Pursuit Ends Before Beginning: ESPN Insider

And as far as Roman Anthony goes, he is “untouchable,” unless, of course, Shohei Ohtani or an equivalent enters the trade market. Before his 2025 injury, he performed strongly in right field. Now, he is expected to perform full-time in the coming season.

No wonder they make Duran’s stay sketchy here. Yet, Craig Breslow’s philosophy was to keep everyone around.

Speaking at the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Breslow stated, “I think the place to start there is that there is absolutely a way to accommodate all of those talented outfielders, and I think we showed that last year.”

The truth, though, is that with Abreu, Rafaela, and Anthony providing both talent and positional security, any trade involving Duran comes with real risks.

What do you think will happen with Duran?