Jarren Duran Has One Small Request For Red Sox Manager Alex Cora

Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran played 160 games for Boston last season.

The speedy All-Star MVP probably would have reached 162, but the Red Sox suspended Duran for two games after the 28-year-old uttered an anti-gay slur at a fan in August.

If Duran has his way, he will play all 162 games for Boston in 2025, but he knows he will have to convince manager Alex Cora.

“I would love to play 162, but AC’s told me, he’s like, ‘Oh, we’ll probably give you a little more rest this year,'” Durran told reporters JetBlue Park on Thursday, per team-provided video. “But, I know I can talk him into letting me play 162. So, we’ll see what he says.”

Duran was putting together a breakout season in 2023 that ultimately came to a screeching halt due to a toe injury he suffered climbing the wall at Yankee Stadium on a home run by Gleyber Torres.

In 2024, Duran turned into one of the best players of the season, slashing .285/.342/.492 with 21 home runs. He also led the majors in doubles (48) and triples (14). After turning in the numbers and almost going the distance, Duran noted a bit of fatigue had crept.

“I just think my legs were tired, because I didn’t get to train my legs the whole offseason because I had the boot, I was working the toe rehab,” Duran explained. “But, I was able to do leg workouts, sprinting, and training all offseason. So, I think it’ll be easier this year to do it, honestly.”

Even after a stellar performance last season, Duran is happy to be entering 2025 healthy and ready to further his growth.

“There’s always that extra hit I could have got, or that extra base I could have stolen, or something,” Duran said. “But we’ll see how this year plays out.”