Jarren Duran Casually Drops Bold Prediction About Red Sox Teammate

Jarren Duran split time between center field and left field for the Red Sox in 2024.

It largely was a product of circumstance. Trevor Story missed a significant chunk of the season, forcing Ceddanne Rafaela to flip-flop between center field and shortstop, and that had a trickle-down effect on Duran’s role in Boston’s outfield.

Now, with Story healthy, Rafaela has a chance to become Boston’s full-time center fielder in 2025, an arrangement that could prove beneficial for the Red Sox given his defensive prowess on the grass relative to his glove work in the infield.

And Duran has no problem patrolling left field in that scenario, even slyly endorsing his Red Sox teammate with a subtle (yet bold) prediction of sorts Thursday at Boston’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla.

“I’m fine with left (field),” Duran told reporters outside JetBlue Park. “I’ll move over for anybody, as long as we get the best players that are out there for us.

“I played left last year. I thought I did pretty good. So, I’m more than comfortable moving over there for Ceddanne to win a Gold Glove in center field.”

Rafaela is more than capable of winning a Gold Glove with consistent playing time in center field. He was a standout defender in the minors and flashed that brilliance on several occasions with Boston last season. Any questions regarding his long-term potential mostly revolve around his offensive profile.

Duran, meanwhile, is coming off a breakout 2024 in which he earned his first career All-Star selection. It’ll be difficult to replicate, sure, but the 28-year-old could benefit from the stability of holding down one position in the outfield.

“Probably just playing the wall, because we have the weirdest left field in the game,” Duran said of the adjustments that come with playing left field at Fenway Park. “And realizing that the wind blows back in, so balls to the stands in left are going to come back. Playing that line. Just stuff like that.”

The alignment of Duran, Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu — from left to right, respectively — figures to be a strength of the Red Sox in 2025.

Abreu won a Gold Glove Award for his work in right field last season, while Duran was a finalist in center field. Perhaps Rafaela soon will add his name to the hardware discussion.

Duran clearly believes it’s on the table.