The Padres have eyes on Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran.
The 28-year-old finds himself on San Diego’s “list of trade targets,” according to The Athletic, as the team seeks to enhance its offense, which has struggled with consistency.
According to the report, the underperforming Red Sox (29-32) “might consider Duran expendable,” especially with outfielder Roman Anthony — MLB.com’s top overall prospect — excelling in Triple-A with a .303 average and .922 OPS, and seemingly ready for a promotion to the major leagues.
Boston sits fourth in the AL East standings, 8 ½ games behind the first-place Yankees.
The Padres had reportedly shown interest in Duran ahead of the 2024 season.
San Diego, currently second in the NL West with a 33-24 record, now has an urgent need for outfield assistance after Gavin Sheets left Sunday’s 6-4 victory over the Pirates due to a collision with the left-field wall.
Sheets had been one of the Padres’ most productive hitters to start the year with a team-high 34 RBIs, plus a .267 average and 11 home runs.
But the Padres will also have to consider saving trade capital to pick up starting pitching, with starters Yu Darvish and Michael King on the injured list.
Their front office, headed by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, will have to choose a direction ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
Duran, a lefty hitter known for his speed on the bases, enjoyed a career year with Boston in 2024, winning All-Star Game MVP and hitting .285 with 75 RBIs and 21 homers.
This season, he’s hitting .264 with 34 RBIs through 60 games, maintaining his value as an above-average outfielder — even if his stats have taken a dip from last season’s breakout campaign.
He is making $3.75 million this season and remains under team control until 2028.
