Red Sox News: Jarren Duran is being called up to Boston’s active roster

Red Sox are calling up No. 4 prospect Jarren Duran

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly calling up center field prospect Jarren Duran for Friday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Boston Globe’s, Alex Speier was first to report the roster change.

Down at Triple-A Worcester, Boston’s no. 4 prospect has been scorching hot. He is currently slashing .397 with two homers, two triples, four doubles, 11 RBIs, 15 runs, nine walks, and only 13 strikeouts in 15 games. He also owns a .478 OBP, slugging .638, and has a 1.116 OPS. He is also 7-8 on steal base attempts this season.

Last year during his rookie season in Boston, Duran struggled mightily at the plate. Hitting just .215 with a .241 OBP, .336 slugging, and .578 OPS he did not produce at the major league level as expected.

The 25 year-old has changed his approach to start the season with the WooSox. He has been more focused on hitting line drives rather than getting the ball up in the air. Those adjustments has led to his improved numbers at the plate.

“That’s something we talk about in spring training and he didn’t hit too many fly balls,” Alex Cora said Sunday via Christopher Smith of MassLive. “I think last year and the year before when was in Pawtucket (at the alternate training site), I think he took the whole drive-the-ball (approach) to the next level. He hit a lot of fly balls. And from what I hear in Worcester early on, the ball to right field carries a lot.

Duran showed some speed last year while on the Red Sox going 2-3 in steal attempts. He can certainly bring that to this Boston lineup that has a total of four steals on the season which ranks last in all of MLB.

“His best tool is actually his speed. So to be able to hit line drives and run the bases, that is something we like. We still want him to hit the ball hard. But if he keeps it off the air, that’s better for him.”

The corresponding move is not yet known. Reportedly, current Red Sox center fielder Kiké Hernández was out of the lineup yesterday due to being sick.

This Red Sox team needs a spark in the worst way and Duran could be that guy to make it happen. According to FanGraphs, the Red Sox are in the bottom of the league in batting (.231, 17th), home runs (16, 25th), on base percentage (.282, 26th), runs (90, 24th), and walk percentage (6.2%, 29th).

We all remember last year when Duran hit a rope to center field against the Toronto Blue Jays and ran the bases to slide head first to score a run, but what was ultimately ruled a triple.

That was when the baseball world met Jarren Duran’s speed. Let’s reintroduce the baseball world to Jarren Duran and hopefully it works out for the better this time around.