Jarren Duran isn’t going anywhere (for now) - and the Red Sox are betting on the outfield logjam

MLB Network unveiled its annual positional rankings Tuesday, and the Red Sox dominated the left-field list — Jarren Duran claimed the top spot, with Roman Anthony close behind at No. 2.

The ranking comes amid an offseason filled with speculation surrounding Boston’s crowded outfield and the possibility that the club could trade from its depth to address other areas of the roster. Duran, in particular, was frequently mentioned in trade rumors. 

As the Red Sox head into spring training, Duran is projected to open the season as the club’s starting left fielder, flanked by Gold Glove winners Ceddanne Rafaela in center field and Wilyer Abreu in right. It should be noted that you can make a strong case for Anthony to be the starting left fielder on Opening Day. 

Anthony is also expected to factor into the mix, capable of handling both corner outfield spots while serving as a DH option when Masataka Yoshida gets a day off.

Despite the perceived logjam, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made it clear the organization never seriously considered moving Duran or Abreu this winter.

“It was never likely in my mind,” Breslow said. “We’ve got really talented outfielders. When teams call, that’s what other executives point to. They’re young, they’re controllable, they’re dynamic, and they’re talented and can impact games in multiple ways. It’s really nice to be able to say they’re also members of the Boston Red Sox.”

Rumors swirled that the Sox were looking to unload Duran in exchange for front-of-the-rotation pitching. Royals left-hander Cole Ragans was the arm most frequently connected to Duran in trade talks. Boston ultimately pivoted, signing left-hander Ranger Suárez, while Breslow has continued wandering the free-agency desert in search of infield help. Infielder Dylan Moore’s name has been linked to the Red Sox, but he doesn’t really move the needle. If Boston wants to bring him in on a minor-league deal with a camp invite, so be it.

In theory, it made sense to at least discuss the idea of trading Duran, strictly due to the abundance of big-league-ready outfielders who will need everyday at-bats. Duran has been a dynamic player for Boston, bringing a combination of speed, power, and athleticism that naturally makes him an attractive trade piece.

From a financial perspective, Duran is set to earn $7.75 million this season and has two additional years of arbitration eligibility, allowing the Red Sox to control him through the 2028 campaign. His value is high—but not high enough to pry away the likes of Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, or even Ragans. Skubal was never really an option this winter but Ryan has been a Sox' target since the trade deadline last summer. 

Breslow and manager Alex Cora believe the current roster can work, even if it demands creativity and patience from their players.

“We talked a lot about our outfield depth, even calling it a surplus at times, coming out of the trade deadline,” Breslow said. “Then, for the month of September, we were without two very, very good players. I’ve yet to meet the person who says, ‘We have too many good players.’

“Alex is really, really talented as it relates to communicating with players, getting the most out of them, and keeping them fresh and engaged. Going into spring training with the group we have is something I’d be comfortable with in terms of the outfield, but if there are opportunities to improve the team and address other needs via that group, we have to at least be willing to listen.”

Anthony, Duran, Rafaela, and Abreu give the Red Sox four of the best defensive outfielders in the game—the problem is, Boston has four players for three spots. One potential solution would be moving Rafaela to second base at times to spread around at-bats. While it’s difficult to justify shifting a Gold Glove center fielder off his natural position, it remains an option—though far from ideal.

Rafaela logged 165 innings over 24 games (19 starts) at second base in 2025 and is a gifted defender who will play at a high level wherever Boston deploys him in 2026.

“Ceddanne is an incredibly gifted athlete and can impact the game in so many ways,” Breslow said. “He is game-changing in center field. We saw that this year. Giving him the consistency of playing the same position every single day also has benefits to his offense.”

If Boston were to go in that direction, Duran would theoretically shift to center field. To be clear, the Red Sox should not move Rafaela off center because the front office misread the free-agent market and is now left holding the bag with no clear infield solutions.

The speedy All-Star enjoyed a breakout 2024 season, starting 89 games in center field and 71 in left, and finished as a Gold Glove finalist at the position. Last season, however, Duran was noticeably less comfortable in left field, at times looking more like a liability. He made 129 starts in left compared to 22 in center, and the difference was evident. Duran had a handful misplays in left field last season—most notably a costly one in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Yankees, when he got a poor jump on a routine fly ball off the bat of Aaron Judge and dropped it.

Overall, Duran finished the season at -4 Outs Above Average, but that total is heavily influenced by his time in left field. Duran graded out as neutral in right field (0 OAA) and slightly above average in center field (+1 OAA), while posting a -5 OAA in left.

Anthony was ranked as the No. 2 outfielder on the list, giving the Red Sox the top two left fielders in the game. The Sox’ Anthony finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2025 after slashing .292/.396/.463 (.859 OPS) with a 140 wRC+. 

His rookie campaign included eight home runs, 18 doubles, and one triple, with six of his homers coming in his final 21 games before a strained oblique ended his season. 

Despite appearing in just 71 games, Anthony accumulated 2.7 fWAR, the fifth-highest total among all outfielders from his debut until his injury on September 2. Only Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodríguez, and Byron Buxton were more valuable over that stretch.

Anthony’s athleticism gives him a high ceiling in left field, and the advanced defensive metrics reinforce that projection. According to Baseball Savant, Anthony graded out as a plus defender in 2025, posting +6 Outs Above Average split between both corner outfield spots. He showed he could handle either side, logging +4 OAA in right field and +2 in left.

The metrics back up the eye test. Anthony finished with a +4 Fielding Run Value, driven largely by how much ground he covers in the outfield. His arm isn’t his primary weapon—clocking in around league average—but it’s more than sufficient, especially in left field. Boston can hide his arm in left field, where he'll play the giant Green Monster, utilizing his athleticism allow him to consistently turn balls into outs.

What complicates matters is that the Red Sox still have Yoshida occupying a valuable 40-man roster spot, which in turn keeps him on the 26-man roster. Recently, rumors surfaced that Boston and Houston had discussed a potential Duran–for–Isaac Paredes swap, though Astros beat writers quickly downplayed that idea. According to those reports, Houston’s interest was stronger in Abreu, whom Boston originally acquired along with Emmanuel Valdez in the Christian Vázquez trade several deadlines ago.

Paredes, meanwhile, profiles as an ideal fit for Fenway Park, and his spray chart underscores why. However, to this point, the Red Sox and Astros have been unable to find common ground on a deal that makes sense for both sides.

How did MLB Network come up with its rankings?

MLB Network is once again working through each position across baseball, unveiling its Top 10 players using “The Shredder,” the network’s proprietary ranking system. The Shredder is designed to determine who the best players are right now, placing an emphasis on recent and sustained performance rather than long-term projections or future upside. Their formula blends traditional statistics with advanced metrics, weighing both offensive and defensive contributions, and is supplemented by internal analysis from MLB Network’s research staff to provide a comprehensive snapshot of current value. 

If Boston were to land an elite player in a trade for Duran, they'd need someone back who would impact the lineup at a higher level. But with spring training just weeks away, Duran appears to be a lock, leaving Cora tasked with finding creative ways to maximize his roster while keeping a crowded outfields engaged and productive. 

Good luck.