Reason Red Sox fans can smile No. 2) Jarren Duran's breakout season
After a disappointing 2022 season for Jarren Duran that resulted in much of Red Sox Nation questioning his place in the long-term vision of this team, Duran burst onto the seen in 2023 in a big way and was one of the most electric players on the field each time he was in the lineup. Unfortunately, Jarren Duran's season was cut short due to a toe injury that he suffered back in August.
With the injury, Duran's final line for the 2023 season is an impressive .295/.346/.482 with an .828 OPS. He drove in 40 runs and hit 34 doubles which trails only Verdugo for most on the team, while also stealing a team-leading 24 bases. Duran also played an exceptional centerfield and showed major improvements from year's past.
Duran joined elite company back on July 2 when he became only the eighth Red Sox player in history to record four doubles in one game when he went 5-5 with four doubles and a single in a win over Toronto. Duran stole the hearts - quite literally - of Red Sox fans this year and essentially cemented himself as a long-term piece to the Red Sox moving forward.