Jarren Duran made his return to the Boston Red Sox lineup Saturday night against the Oakland Athletics and impressed manager Alex Cora with his appearance.
Duran, who last played for the Red Sox on May 6, was recalled to the active roster Friday with outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. placed on the team’s Paternity Leave List. Duran hit leadoff and started in right field Saturday during Boston’s second straight win over the Athletics.
“The first pitch of the game, he crushed it,” Cora told reporters Saturday night, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “One-hundred and five(miles per hour) off the bat or something like that. You can tell, he’s very dynamic. Just seeing him run the bases is always good. Played a solid right (field) today. He’s in a better place.”
Duran (2-for-5, one strikeout) lined out to the shortstop on the first pitch he saw — a 89 mph sinker from Paul Blackburn — before leading off the fifth inning with a single to center field. The speedy outfielder then recorded an infield single during Boston’s four-run eighth inning.
“That line drive the other way, that line drive up the middle, we didn’t see that last year,” Cora said of Duran. “He was hitting the ball in the air. A lot of flyballs and getting under the ball. Now he’s on time and hitting the ball hard and that was cool to see.”
Duran admitted previously he felt more comfortable during his May stint with the Red Sox.
Bradley, who welcomed his third child with his wife Erin on Friday, is expected to return during Boston’s now eight-game West Coast road trip, but Duran should see more opportunities in the meantime. The next chance will come Sunday when the Red Sox take on the Athletics in the final game of their three-game set.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET on NESN.
