Why Jarren Duran’s Weekend Performance Matters For Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox had a weekend to forget, coming out of the All-Star break getting swept on the road by the Los Angles Dodgers.

There were close opportunities to be bad though Boston could not cash in and doubled their loss total from the rest of July combined. The team did have a premier bright spot in Jarren Duran.

The Red Sox outfielder is in the midst of a great season for Boston and playing some of his best baseball as of late. Duran went down to Texas and homered his way to All-Star Game MVP honors on Tuesday. The few days off clearly didn't impact Duran as he went 6-for-12 in the series with five runs scored, two home runs and seven RBIs across the three-game series.

Duran made his mark at the plate when it mattered most for the Red Sox as well. He led off Friday's game with a double and drove Boston's only run with a solo blast. He delivered the lead in the middle innings on Saturday. Sunday saw Duran smack a first-inning homer and rally in two more runs in the ninth inning.

So, what was Duran this weekend for the Red Sox over the weekend?

Sustainable.

That word will quite literally decide the fate of the coming weeks for the Red Sox leading up to the trade deadline.

Boston got red-hot for a month following a 4-2 homestand against the then-league-leading Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. The Red Sox catapulted themselves into contention and a playoff spot.

The weekend in Los Angeles took a step in the wrong direction with three straight losses coming out of the break. In order to force their way to adding impact pieces at the trade deadline, Boston has to sustain the hot streak it brought into the end of the first half.

Duran embodied what the Red Sox need in their remaining series against the Colorado Rockies and the Yankees leading up to the July 30 deadline when they'll be hosting the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park.