FanSided's MLB insider, Robert Murray, recently put together a list of surprise trade candidates. On this list, Murray discussed Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran as a potential trade chip this season.
"Duran, 28, can play multiple outfield positions. He’s coming off a breakout season with the Boston Red Sox, hitting .285/.342/.492 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI," Murray wrote. "This season, he’s hitting .264/.312/.406 with four home runs and 34 RBI. The case for moving Duran is obvious: they’d be selling high on Duran while also opening a spot in the outfield for baseball’s top prospect Roman Anthony, who should already be in the majors."
Murray notes the report that has indicated the San Diego Padres have shared interest in Duran this season, but there are a few other teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, who could make sense as a fit for the star.
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A Red Sox-Cardinals trade for Jarren Duran might make perfect sense
The Cardinals are at a bit of a crossroads right now. They seemed set to enter a big rebuild this season after letting a few veterans walk away in free agency. St. Louis also reportedly tested the market and tried to shop Nolan Arenado. But this season, they've won a lot more than everybody has expected.
This could lead to the Cardinals trading away expiring players like Ryan Helsley while looking to acquire controllable talent like Duran. A potential swap of Helsley plus some prospects in exchange for Duran could be the best possible situation for both teams.
For the Red Sox, the idea is simple, as Murray states. They would be selling high on Duran while he has multiple years of team control left on his deal. Losing him would be a massive blow for the Red Sox to suffer, but they could land a massive haul in return, led by Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley.
Adding Jarren Duran would be expensive but forward-thinking
The Cardinals could package Helsley with starting pitcher Erick Fedde and multiple top ranked prospects to land Duran. St. Louis could include a top pitching prospect like Tink Hence or Quinn Mathews in a deal to land the talented outfielder, too. While this might seem like quite a lot to secure him, landing Duran would be a massive move to push the Cardinals forward.
St. Louis needs another talented young outfielder to add to their roster. Having Duran alongside Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II, and a few other solid pieces would boost the Cardinals quite a bit going forward.