Alex Cora Makes Vow To Jarren Duran Before Adam Duvall’s Red Sox Return

Alex Cora and the Red Sox recently took a confident stance alongside Jarren Duran, and the club plans to do so again once a significant roster development comes through the wire.

Boston showcased faith in Duran on Monday when it designated Raimel Tapia for assignment in order to create an active roster spot for the returning Christian Arroyo. The Red Sox will need to make a similar move later this week when Adam Duvall, Boston’s best player in the first few weeks of the season, is eligible to return from the injured list.

Duvall’s presence will make it more challenging for Cora to find playing time for Duran. The veteran slugger is in line to be Boston’s everyday center fielder as long as he’s healthy, and Duvall is set to be flanked by Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo, a pair of outfielders who are in the conversation for American League All-Star nods. But despite this depth, Cora doesn’t plan on making Duran a stranger to the diamond.

“Of course, we’ve got to take care of (Duvall), too. He hasn’t played in a while,” Cora told reporters Wednesday, per The Boston Globe. “Just to throw him out there X amount of games in a row, that’s not going to work. So, we’ll find ways to get at-bats for Jarren.”

So, Red Sox fans can expect to see Duran in action on a fairly regular basis, even as Boston’s overall health improves. But from there, the onus will fall on the 26-year-old to prove he’s worthy of those opportunities.