The Boston Red Sox have a few days to determine whether what to do with their roster. It's the worst kept secret in the league that they have an abundance of outfielders, meaning that Jarren Duran's time with the team could be nearing an end.
But will it happen at the trade deadline? Based on the reporting, the Red Sox won't trade Duran for the sake of trading him.
According to Sean McAdam of Mass Live (subscription required), the Red Sox had talks with the San Diego Padres regarding a Duran trade. However, McAdam reports that the Padres offered starting pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas, and another prospect for Duran. The Red Sox, per McAdam, "quickly rejected" the deal.
If this proves anything, it's that the Red Sox are going to want a lot more for Duran, who still has three years left on his contract.
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Red Sox lets MLB world know of high Jarren Duran asking price with rejected Padres trade
It's no secret that the Padres have been interested in Duran for a while. The fact that they made an offer isn't surprising. But the Red Sox let it be known they won't accept a deal that includes a starting pitcher set to hit free agency this winter, a catching prospect who is struggling, and another prospect.
Cease is becoming a popular name on the trade block, especially for teams looking for starting pitching help. Even though he had a strong first season with the Padres last year, he isn't putting up the same numbers this year. Through 21 starts this year, Cease has a 4.59 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and a 3-10 win-loss record. Additionally, opposing batters are hitting .243 off of him, an increase from a .200 average last year.
As for Salas, he is the Padres' second-overall ranked prospect in the farm system and 21st across baseball. But, Salas was limited to just 10 games this season due to a back injury This year, he recorded a .188 batting average, a .325 on-base percentage, a .219 slugging percentage, five RBI, five runs, and six hits in 32 at-bats.
The Red Sox have a ton of outfielders, with Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu leading their young core. That's why Duran's time with the team is seemingly running out. Yet, they're not going to do it for the sake of doing it. They want a return that they think is more than adequate to trade away their starting outfielder. For the record, it seems Cease and Salas isn't enough.