With the offseason officially started, the Jarren Duran trade rumors are beginning to fly. The 29-year-old outfielder is seemingly Boston's biggest trade asset headed into the winter — the Sox have a crowded outfield, with four major league caliber outfielders and the DH spot filled, so trading one away to upgrade other spots makes sense.
Many teams will be interested in acquiring Duran. Despite a down season this year, his breakout 2024 campaign showed his incredible potential at the plate and his Gold Glove-caliber defense in center. Duran is also under team control for another three seasons and just signed avoided arbitration with a slightly discounted salary for 2026.
MLB Insider Jon Morosi proposed a very advantageous landing spot for Duran: the Detroit Tigers. Morosi cited their need for power and athleticism in the outfield as key reasons Duran could be a match for the Tigers. Detroit is also not a team that likes to splash the cash, and Duran is a cheaper option that would still be a massive upgrade for them.
Detroit has many assets the Red Sox could have interest in, the first of which is Tarik Skubal. Should the Sox want to make a move for the reigning AL Cy Young Winner, it is going to take a lot of capital. Boston's farm system is lacking top-end talent following the graduations of the big three prospects, so it would have to use the major league roster. Duran would almost certainly highlight that trade package.
MLB insider Jon Morosi says Red Sox's Jarren Duran could be a good fit for the Tigers
Jarren Duran ➡️ Tigers?@jonmorosi shares an offseason trade prediction on #MLBNHotStove. pic.twitter.com/ByT5dClhHC
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 6, 2025
Skubal isn't the only asset Detroit has at the moment, though. According to MLB Pipeline's August update, the Tigers have the sixth-best farm system in baseball. Detroit currently has four top 100 prospects, all ranking in the top 40. Their system is highlighted by baseball's number two prospect, middle infielder Kevin McGonigle. They also have center field prospect Max Clark, who is Pipeline's No. 9 prospect. Detroit's deep farm could help the Sox rebuild their prospect ranks after it was depleted by graduations and trades.
The Sox find themselves in an interesting spot with Duran. While they could use him to upgrade the major league squad, they could also do that in free agency. A goal Craig Breslow has stated many times is building a sustainable winner, and one way to do that is by constantly having a deep farm system. The Dodgers are a key example of that. Yes, they can pay any free agent, but they also always have top prospects nearing MLB readiness that they can call up or trade.
A trade with the Tigers could be a win-win for both organizations. Duran would fill a big hole in Detroit's lineup as they look to make it further into the playoffs. The Red Sox need either another high-end starter or could also use the prospects to replenish their minor leagues.