Barring an unexpected change of direction, it sounds like Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox plan to buy at the trade deadline.
So why should All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran nonetheless be prepared to find real estate in another city?
Reporters and fans alike have included Duran’s name in trade proposals all season, with many ideas coming before the Red Sox’s recent surge. Boston is 12-4 in July, and Duran has been a major reason why, batting .283 with three homers, five doubles, 12 RBIs, and a .972 OPS over 62 plate appearances.
However, as longtime MLB executive Jim Bowden noted, that doesn’t mean Duran and the Red Sox are a long-term fit. Teams reportedly continue inquiring about the fifth-year outfielder, and it certainly sounds like the Red Sox are picking up those phone calls.
“The Sox are building for the short- and long-term,” Bowden wrote in The Athletic. “Expect them to buy at the deadline with starting pitching and first base their priorities.”
Bowden reported that the Phillies and San Diego Padres “would love” to add Duran ahead of the July 31 deadline.
Phillies trade for Jarren Duran in mock deal with Red Sox
Here’s what we believe a potential Phillies-Red Sox trade featuring Duran could look like.
The first part of this trade is self-explanatory. Duran can immediately slot into either left or center field, with Brandon Marsh manning the other spot. Although Duran is well behind last year’s 8.7 bWAR campaign, he’s nonetheless continued beating teams with his baserunning; Duran owns 25 doubles, a league-high 10 triples, and 16 stolen bases through 101 games.
Mick Abel’s stats from his last two starts for AAA Lehigh Valley:
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) July 20, 2025
12.0 IP | 3 H | 0 ER | 3 BB | 9 K | 0.00 ERA pic.twitter.com/hcdPvmFK3p
Abel entered the season as a consensus top-5 prospect in the Phillies’ farm system, though he posted a 5.04 ERA across his first 25 big-league innings. The 2020 No. 15 pick turns 24 in August and could theoretically immediately join the Red Sox’s rotation.
Major League Baseball considers Rincones the Phillies’ 11th-best prospect, and he’s inching closer to his MLB debut. Although Rincones is only hitting .215 at Triple-A, he’s still reaching base at a .344 clip. He’ll likely debut in 2026 if all goes according to plan, but we’re not sure if the Red Sox would prefer he stay in the outfield or move to DH.
What makes Keaton Anthony interesting here is that he’s transitioned into a full-time first baseman after mostly playing the outfield at the University of Iowa. The Red Sox still need a long-term first baseman, and Triston Casas likely isn’t the answer.
What about Anthony, who is hitting .320 with four homers, 34 RBIs, and an .848 OPS across nearly 300 minor-league at-bats? Boston could experiment with platooning Anthony down the stretch before letting him compete for the starting job next spring.
Bowden believes the Red Sox want starting pitching and first base help. This hypothetical Duran trade fills both needs and gives the Red Sox a promising young slugger. That certainly sounds good to us.