The Boston Red Sox have a "problem" that the other 29 teams would love to have: They have too many outfielders. Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony and Ceddanne Rafaela are all vying for three spots, meaning there's one odd man out. Sure, the Red Sox could keep all four and use one at DH, but it probably makes more sense to trade one either to fill another need or to improve the farm system. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe predicts Duran will be the one left out of the quartet.
.@timbhealey on it being “very likely” the Red Sox move an outfielder this season.
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) November 5, 2025
Highlights Jarren Duran as the guy that feels like the odd man out.
Doesn’t think they’d trade Ceddanne Rafaela, but wouldn’t completely rule it out either.
pic.twitter.com/qSUX6qDZsw
This makes a lot of sense. Rafaela might be the best defensive outfielder in the American League and happens to also be locked in long-term. Wilyer Abreu just won a Gold Glove himself, has more power than Duran and is under control for longer. Roman Anthony, a budding superstar, isn't going anywhere either. That leaves Duran a really good yet expendable player considering the other outfielders in the mix.
If Boston elects to trade Duran — which admittedly isn't a guarantee — there should be tons of interested suitors. Even if his 2025 season was a bit underwhelming, Duran has tons of speed, power to the gaps, plays strong outfield defense and is cost-controlled through the 2028 campaign. While there figure to be a large list of suitors, some teams make more sense than others.
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6. Houston Astros
A lot of the focus when discussing the Houston Astros' needs is on the starting pitching, and understandably so, but a left-handed hitting outfielder they can plug into the top of their lineup like Duran would make a lot of sense for them, too.
The only left-handed hitter guaranteed to be in Houston's Opening Day lineup in 2026 is Yordan Alvarez. They were almost entirely right-handed in 2025 as well. Being righty-heavy isn't the worst thing in the world, but it does make the Astros easier to game-plan against. The top of their lineup, including Duran, Jeremy Pena, Alvarez and Jose Altuve, would be really tough for opposing teams to navigate.
Admittedly, the Astros can easily get outbid by other teams, and they probably should be prioritizing starting pitching. They're more of a dark horse for those reasons. Still, adding Duran to be their regular center fielder over the likes of Jake Meyers and Jacob Melton could help get Houston back to the postseason in 2026.
5. San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants have Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee locked into two of their three outfield spots, but what about that third one? They traded Mike Yastrzemski at the trade deadline, and while Drew Gilbert was really fun to watch, he shouldn't be handed a starting spot, especially if a player like Duran is available.
What really makes the Duran fit interesting to me is the fact that he's hit 10 more triples (27) than any other player in the American League since the start of the 2024 campaign. Can you imagine watching him play half the time at Oracle Park? He might hit 25 triples annually with Triples Alley. He's one of the few left-handed hitters who can thrive in San Francisco, and the Giants should be looking to make a move, too.
San Francisco has made the playoffs just once since 2016. Adding a star like Duran can help them be more competitive in a challenging NL West. Would they really outbid the teams ahead of them on this list, though? That remains to be seen.
4. San Diego Padres
There might not be a team that's been linked to Duran more often of late than the San Diego Padres, and it isn't hard to see why. They ranked 18th in the Majors in runs scored this past season, and they lacked production in left field for much of the year until Ramon Laureano helped down the stretch.
Laureano should be back, lessening the need for Duran, but the Padres could still use him. Having Duran as their lead-off hitter in front of Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado can help get this offense going, and Duran being under cheap club control through 2028 makes him especially valuable for a Padres team that's going to have to invest heavily in starting pitching this winter.
The reason why I don't have the Padres among the top three favorites for Duran is that I have no idea what they can trade for him. A.J. Preller has done a great job trading for stars, but doing so repeatedly has resulted in the farm system being as barren as it's been in quite some time. It'd be foolish to count Preller out, but I have a hard time seeing San Diego as the team with the winning bid.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
Nobody wants to see this happen, but it'd be foolish to ignore the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Duran sweepstakes. The Dodgers were able to win the World Series despite some subpar outfield play, particularly in left field. Michael Conforto struggled mightily there during the regular season, and Kiké Hernandez wasn't much of an offensive upgrade in October. Duran would be a difference-maker for them.
Can you imagine having a player with his upside hitting like seventh every day? That's what'd happen in Los Angeles. This goes to show that the Dodgers might not need him nearly as badly as any other team on this list, but they're the Dodgers — they're always going to try to improve.
They have the prospect capital to make trades, and by the time his cheap club control runs out, prospects like Zyhir Hope, Josue De Paula and Eduardo Quintero should be ready to man the outfield. Perhaps the Red Sox won't want to deal with the Dodgers, considering how the Mookie Betts trade has aged, and I'm not convinced the Dodgers would want to trade prospects rather than simply signing a guy like Kyle Tucker. But they have an outfield need that Duran would fill quite nicely and an embarrassment of riches to offer the Red Sox. They're a team that should be expected to be in the mix.
2. Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are perhaps the most underrated Duran suitor, but they really shouldn't be: He can be the player who helps guide this team back to the postseason. The Royals have an MVP-caliber player in Bobby Witt Jr. and a really solid rotation, but their lineup around Witt was their biggest weakness in 2025. The Royals were 26th in the Majors in runs scored, and their outfielders combining to put up a wRC+ of 73 (worst in MLB) were a huge reason why.
Jac Caglianone figures to be Kansas City's primary right fielder, but what about left field and center field? Duran can easily slide into one of those spots. The Royals could use some more offensive firepower in addition to Duran, but the top of their lineup consisting of Duran, Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez should lead to a good amount of runs being scored.
It'll be interesting to see how aggressive the Royals will be, but they have the need and the pieces to get this deal done.
1. Philadelphia Phillies
If Duran is traded, I'd be pretty surprised if he didn't end up with the Philadelphia Phillies. The other teams on this list make sense for certain reasons, but it feels like the Phillies check every box.
Their need for an outfielder cannot be overstated. Brandon Marsh likely has a spot secured, but both Max Kepler and Harrison Bader are set to hit free agency, and it sure sounds like Nick Castellanos will either be traded or released this winter. Duran can help fill that void. And when it comes to having prospects to trade, the Phillies have plenty.
The Phillies will probably prioritize re-signing Kyle Schwarber in free agency, so it's unrealistic to assume they'll also sign Tucker. Duran gives them a cheaper alternative, and while he isn't Tucker, he's probably the second-best option realistically available this winter. He'd provide an elite one-two punch at the top of their lineup alongside Trea Turner, while also improving their team defense. The Phillies playing in the National League is only the cherry on top.