If one thing is clear about the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline, it's that the Boston Red Sox are open for business.
On one hand, sure, the Rafael Devers trade to the San Francisco Giants was mostly about a lack of shared vision between player and organization. On the other, the Red Sox showed they're willing to trade anyone, even the highest-paid player in franchise history, if the player doesn't fit seamlessly into their vision of the future.
The New York Mets could be watching the Red Sox very closely heading into trade deadline season. New York has needed a center fielder for most of the year, and Boston still has a logjam in their outfield thanks to the call-up of number-one prospect Roman Anthony.
On Monday, Mets on SI's Mike Phillips suggested that New York could acquire 2024 All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran, who is the oldest of the Red Sox's outfielders and is under team control for the fewest years (through 2028).
"A lot of teams would be intrigued by Duran if he became available since he is under club control for three seasons after this one, but he would be a perfect fit for the Mets if Boston shops him," Phillips wrote.
"Duran would solve the team's hole in center field right now while also adding some length to the lineup and a strong presence in the clubhouse."
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Duran, 28, hasn't quite been the same player in 2025 that he was during his breakout 2024 campaign. But he still has a decent .740 OPS, and he leads the majors once again with eight triples. His defense hasn't been very good in left field either, but it was great when he played center last year.
The Red Sox consider Duran a leader and they recently put Anthony's locker next to his in the Fenway Park clubhouse. So it's certainly not a guarantee he'll be moved, and the Devers trade likely diminishes those odds.
Still, a logjam is a logjam, and if the Mets were to blow the Red Sox away with an offer for Duran, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow might pull the trigger.
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