In the last few seasons, trade rumors have followed the Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran. He was a critical member of Boston's outfield in the past three years and a trade didn't always make sense, but many reporters foresee Roman Anthony's arrival to MLB as the nail in the coffin for Duran's tenure with the Sox.
Anthony, Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela are all capable big leaguers and deserve everyday playing time. The years of rumors around Duran don't come from nowhere — multiple teams have expressed interest in trading for the speedster, and the Red Sox have actively shopped him already this offseason.
Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported on November 21 that the Red Sox and Kansas City Royals have discussed a trade involving Duran, but the Royals were scared off by Boston's asking price for the outfielder. The Red Sox's demands have not been reported, however Rogers noted that they need MLB-ready pitching, of which the Royals have plenty.
The Red Sox have a recent history of big trades during the Winter Meetings, such as the Carlos Narváez and Garrett Crochet deals, which came on the same day in 2024. Trading Duran (or Wilyer Abreu, who is also rumored to be on the trade block) early in the offseason would give Boston a much clearer plan for its acquisitions. If the Sox can get a starting pitcher for Duran, they could kill two birds with one stone.
Red Sox and Royals have discussed Jarren Duran trade, menaing outfielder could be on the move with Winter Meetings approaching
“A lot of teams are looking for starting pitching, so if we have what they may be interested in, and they have an outfielder that would be of interest, then there’s potentially the opportunity to make a deal,” Royals president of baseball operations J. J. Picollo said to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe (subscription required).
The Red Sox may have asked for a starting pitcher in preliminary trade discussions with the Royals, which clearly didn't go over well. If Kansas City is willing to trade Cole Ragans, for example, Boston would more than likely need to offer more than Duran to entice it into a deal. The Red Sox could also pursue a trade for first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (or another first baseman in the Royals' system), who mashed 32 homers in 2025, although such a deal seems far less likely.
Even if a trade with the Royals is an impossibility, there are multiple other teams around the league with which Duran could be a fit. It's worth noting that the Red Sox have shopped him around before the Winter Meetings. Front office representatives from teams around the league will be at the annual meetings, and Boston could finish off a Duran trade with the Royals or lay the groundwork for a different move entirely.
Even if a deal doesn't happen at the Winter Meetings, the news that the Royals declined a deal for Duran suggests that all the trade rumors could finally be a reality in the next few months.