Defense has been a struggle for the Boston Red Sox for far too long. It's high time they started turning the tide.
Sep 8, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran (16) makes a catch for an out during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Yes, the Red Sox still made 112 errors this season so far, second-most in the game behind only the Miami Marlins. But they have begun to find some stalwarts of the defensive side of the ball, including their rising superstar in center field.
Jarren Duran had a fantastic summer chasing balls down in center and left field, contributing to his breakout season that saw him win All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. It would have been a great defensive year for anyone, but for Duran in particular, it was a marker of tremendous growth.
In the summer of 2022, Duran had several awful moments on defense, creating battle scars that would haunt him all winter. A lost fly ball in the lights turned inside-the-park grand slam and two more drops in a crucial loss in Kansas City were just a few of the lowlights.
Two years later, the script has flipped completely. Duran was named the ninth-best defender in all of baseball by Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller.
"Sources tend to agree... that Duran's outfield defense is well above average, and a big component of his value added as one of the 10 best players in the majors this season," Miller said.
"With 11 outfield assists on the year—seven in center, four in left—Duran is tied with two-time Gold Glover Ian Happ for first place on that leaderboard. But while Happ has a great arm, Duran's range is laughably superior."
Many of Duran's signature moments this season came on defense. There was the home run robbery to save the game in Cincinnati. The perfect throw to cut down the winning run in Miami. The other home run robbery when he went halfway over the fence in Baltimore. The list goes on and on.
On the whole, Duran racked up 10 outs above average on the season, which was top-10 among all outfielders and 26th-best among all defenders in Major League Baseball, per Baseball Savant.
Considering where Duran was two summers ago, it's nothing short of remarkable to see him routinely applauded as an elite defender nowadays. It's all part of his impressive rise to superstardom long after his national prospect hype had died down.
The 28-year-old is now a part of the fabric of this Red Sox team. Up next, he has to prove he can lead them to a playoff berth in 2025.
