Red Sox Manager Sees Big Things Ahead for Jarren Duran

Boston's young outfielder has impressed in spring training, signaling a potential breakout season.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Boston Red Sox have a crowded outfield with four talented players, including Jarren Duran. Despite trade rumors surrounding Duran this offseason, the Red Sox have opted to hold onto him. Now, Red Sox manager Alex Cora is signaling that Duran is poised for a big season, saying the young outfielder looks like a "different hitter" in spring training.

Why it matters

Duran is a key part of the Red Sox's future, and if he can take a step forward in 2026 as Cora expects, it would give the team a dynamic offensive weapon to build around alongside their other talented young outfielders.

The details

Cora noted that Duran is "hitting the ball really hard to the pull side" and "getting to some pitches that last year probably he didn't get (to)." The manager said the team is "expecting a lot of big things from him" this season after Duran had a somewhat down year in 2025 despite still posting a 4.7 WAR.

  • The Red Sox's 2025 season came to an end in the fall of that year.
  • Cora's comments about Duran's impressive spring training performance were made in February 2026.

The players

Jarren Duran

A young outfielder for the Boston Red Sox who has been the subject of trade rumors but is now poised for a potential breakout season in 2026 based on his strong spring training performance.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox who has expressed high expectations for Jarren Duran's upcoming season.

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What they’re saying

“I know it's early, but JD seems like a different hitter. Hitting the ball really hard to the pull side. Getting to some pitches that last year probably he didn't get (to). Expecting a lot of big things from him.”

— Alex Cora, Manager, Boston Red Sox (MassLive.com)

What’s next

The Red Sox will be closely monitoring Duran's progress throughout spring training and into the 2026 regular season to see if he can build on Cora's positive assessment and take a big step forward.

The takeaway

The Red Sox's crowded but talented outfield presents some challenges, but if Jarren Duran can emerge as a star-caliber player as his manager expects, it would give the team a dynamic offensive weapon to build around for the future.