The San Diego Padres had a great season last year, winning 93 ballgames. But their season came to an end after getting eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.
While last year is in the past, this year’s team is slightly ahead of last season’s pace, with a 57.9% win rate compared to 57.4% in 2024. Of course, the Padres hope to go further than the NLDS though.
So it makes sense that they’d still want to consider making more roster upgrades. As The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports, one player on the Padres’ trade wish list is Boston Red Sox All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran.
“As the Padres face a daunting upcoming schedule and glaring holes at the bottom of their lineup, their list of trade targets again includes Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, league sources told The Athletic. The Padres expressed interest in Duran ahead of the 2024 season, before veteran left fielder Jurickson Profar and then-rookie center fielder Jackson Merrill joined Duran as first-time All-Stars. Now, an underwhelming Red Sox team might consider Duran expendable; outfielder Roman Anthony remains tantalizingly close to Boston, and a restless fan base has been clamoring for the arrival of the sport’s consensus No. 1 prospect.”
The Athletic’s Dennis Lin on Padres/Jarren Duran
With Gavin Sheets’ injury throwing a wrench into the Padres’ plans, they may feel more inclined to swing a trade sooner rather than later. Whether the BoSox are ready to listen on someone like Duran remains to be seen, but that could force the Padres to pivot to alternative solutions.
Either way, it’s become clear that the Padres would benefit from seeking out upgrades in left field, and Duran, who’s hitting .264 with an OPS of .718, would seem to fit the bill. He also leads the majors with six triples through 60 games.
Related: MLB Power Rankings: Where do the San Diego Padres land?
