Red Sox: Jarren Duran joins elite company with Yankee Stadium debut

Jarren Duran becomes latest Red Sox to debut at Yankee Stadium

The time is finally here my friends, Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox have made the call and Jarren Duran is going to make his Major League debut. Granted, he was supposed to do that last night until a COVID outbreak with the Yankees derailed it. Anyway, the long wait has finally come to its conclusion, and Boston’s moon-bomb-hitting outfielder is set to join The Show.

Things started to pick up steam when he was removed from Team USA’s Olympic roster. While he had spent some time out with a back issue, this felt like more than just a precaution. We would learn that the process to get him over to Japan for the Olympics just to have him pulled right back by the Red Sox would give too many folks too many headaches. Though I’m sure he wanted to represent his country there’s nothing quite like making your MLB debut at Yankee Stadium.

In fact, it’s only been done by a few other Red Sox players in the history of the organization including Ted Williams, Mookie Betts, and Jackie Bradley Jr. That’s some pretty damn good company to find yourself shoulder to shoulder with. Obviously, I would’ve loved to see him take centerfield in front of a packed Fenway Park but this is easily the second-best option. What better way to make your name in the big leagues than debuting against your squad’s biggest rival and crushing them.

That’s right, with how this season has gone so far I’m not giving the Yankees much of a shot this weekend. Could that be foolish optimism or pure arrogance, sure, but I don’t care, New York has shown me nothing in 2021 that should cause me any fear. Now we’re adding Duran into the mix in a stadium where a little leaguer could hit a homer? Bring on those wins baby, I’m ready to bury the Bronx Bombers. I’ve already had dreams about Jarren just launching homer after homer into the short porch to the dismay of Yankee fans.

The fact that this organization has been around since 1901 and only a handful of guys have made their debut at Yankee Stadium. It also doesn’t hurt that three of those names have had major impacts on the franchise during their tenures. Will Duran be able to live up to those that have come before him? Only time will tell but based on what we’ve seen from him during his time in the Minors I wouldn’t be surprised. Much like JBJ, he’ll be roaming center for the Sox this weekend in the Bronx and will have to make sure his game is on point.

Unfortunately, it was reported by Alex Speier of The Boston Globe that Duran won’t be making his debut in tonight’s game as the Yankees have opted to start Jordan Montgomery instead of Domingo Germán. The Sox aren’t going to break out their shiny new toy in a lefty-lefty matchup, though Stat Masterson does speculate he could make his debut as a sub later in the game.

With his debut still set for this weekend, let’s take a look at how those previously mentioned faired in their first cracks at Yankee Stadium.

Ted Williams: 1-4/2B/2K
Mookie Betts: 1-3/1B/BB
Jackie Bradley Jr.: 0-2/K/2BB/RBI