Red Sox
For multiple reasons, it would be fulfilling to see Jarren Duran make the All-Star team this year.
Playing nine innings while hearing Mo Vaughn’s voice as Alex Cora works daily wonders with these Red Sox. “The price keeps going up …”
1. Considering the consensus of low expectations entering the season and the brutal assortment of injuries endured early, this Red Sox season feels better, more hopeful, than their 44-39 record might suggest. One major reason for the generally good vibes even as they sit on the outside of the American League wild-card race: an uncommon number of extremely pleasant surprises.
We didn’t know if Tanner Houck would begin the season in the rotation or bullpen until March 22, when Cora announced he had secured one of the final two starting spots. Now he has a case to start the All-Star Game.
I thought David Hamilton was a Quadruple A guy with a granite glove whose value was almost entirely as a pinch runner. Instead, he’s helped the Sox develop an identity as an athletic, daring team on the bases — he reminds me of the kind of player Dan Duquette would find that would give the Red Sox a fine year or two out of nowhere. A Lee Tinsley of modern times, or something like that.
Then there’s Connor Wong with his .856 OPS, and Brennan Bernardino with his 1.20 ERA, and Greg Weissert and Justin Slaten with their combined 80 strikeouts in 75 innings. Just impressive contributions up and down the roster from players who began the season as question marks, who’s-hes?, and presumed roster filler.
2. The biggest surprise to me though, is Jarren Duran. Not necessarily because he’s improved or exciting — the ridiculous physical tools have been obvious even as he struggled to a .729 OPS in 697 plate appearances while playing erratic outfield defense from 2021-2023.
It’s about how much he has improved, and how much excitement he has provided at an age when players are pretty much what they are going to be.
Duran turns 28 on Sept. 5. He’s 49 days older than Rafael Devers. He’s older than, among others, Ronald Acuna Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Juan Soto.
Duran might be a young player when it comes to certain experiences, such as playing center field, but he is not by standard MLB measures.
That’s no knock him. It’s an acknowledgement of his uncommon developmental path, which, beyond his extraordinary athleticism, includes his admirable dedication to maintaining his confidence and focusing on his mental health.
3. For multiple reasons, it would be fulfilling to see Duran make the All-Star team this year.
And does he ever deserve it. He is vastly improved in center — reps have made such a difference — and offensively, he has set the tone for this merry band of overachievers.
As for his numbers, well, you don’t see seasons quite like this — this particular combination of stats — often in Red Sox lore.
Though 83 games, Duran has nine homers, a major-league-leading 10 triples, an AL-best 22 doubles, and 20 stolen bases, with an .841 OPS.
Over a full season, that adds up to 17 homers, 20 triples, 43 doubles, and 39 steals. I wanted to say that’s Rickey Henderson-caliber stuff, but Rickey never had double-digit figures in triples in a season.
4. It was nice, if bittersweet, to see Xander Bogaerts return to Fenway Park over the weekend.
Watching him linger alone in the Padres dugout after the final out Sunday, then salute Rafael Devers and Alex Cora before disappearing, it was clear it was nice, if mostly bittersweet, for him too.
Bogaerts wasn’t a superstar for the Red Sox, but he was in that admirable next tier down — a very, very good player who carried himself with grace, appreciated the jersey he wore and who he wore it for, and was at the center of some meaningful victories that became enduring memories.
He plays for another team in a different league on the opposite coast now. But it’s apparent that even as he left Boston, Boston has never left him.
5. The Red Sox’ lukewarm evaluation of Bogaerts’s future production when he hit free agency after the 2022 season may prove correct. Maybe it already has.
In 202 games for the Padres, he’s slashed .269/.331/.410 with just 23 home runs in 865 plate appearances. He turns 31 on Oct. 1, and he’s already moved away from shortstop, over to second base, where he got hurt in his 44th game at the position. Not exactly trending the right way.
The 11-year, $280 million deal he signed with the Padres is already regrettable on their end, and it’s only going to become more so, to the point that it could become the worst in baseball. There really is no disputing that.
6. But please, do not suggest that the Red Sox deserve praise for not signing Bogaerts to such a deal. Two-hundred and eighty million for Bogaerts is insane! Good thing the Red Sox didn’t give him that!
Yeah, no kidding, but remember that the foolish contract by the Padres has absolutely nothing to do with the Red Sox. That happened long after they made their decision.
By most accounts, Bogaerts was looking for a deal that paid roughly half of that — $141 million; Jose Altuve terms — to stay in Boston. He wanted to be here, and never ceased making that clear.
The Red Sox pretended they wanted to keep him, lowballed him all along, then threw $90 million at one-tool player Masataka Yoshida a week after he left. They will get no credit and like it.
7. The Red Sox were right to move on from Chaim Bloom last September, but it must be noted that some of his, uh, curious deals have looked better this season.
Getting Josh Winckowski in the Benintendi deal was savvy, as was acquiring Hamilton in the Hunter Renfroe trade.
And I don’t know about you, but I never minded dealing Christian Vazquez for Wilyer Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez in the first place.
8. What becomes of Connor Wong (hitting .327) when Kyle Teel is ready? Is “occasional catcher/frequent second baseman” entirely out of the question?
9. Andrew Benintendi is hitting .196 with a .546 OPS for the White Sox. Never could have imagined such a decline in the fall of 2018.
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