Why Red Sox Especially Need Jarren Duran’s Offensive Spark

BOSTON — Jarren Duran took the first steady steps toward revamping the top of the Boston Red Sox lineup last season.

His game-changing pace energized the Red Sox and put pressure on the opposition for 102 games until sustaining a season-ending toe injury at Yankee Stadium. That prepared Duran to demonstrate his ability to run a complete campaign in 2024. He’s off to a terrific start with that.

The speedy outfielder leads the American League with seven stolen bases and sparked the Boston offense Thursday. The Red Sox scored a run in the first inning against Cleveland Guardians starter Carlos Carrasco, but then failed to score with the following four innings.

Reese McGuire and Ceddanne Rafaela reached base with two outs.

The loss reduced the Red Sox to 10-10 in their first 20 games of the season. The path ahead becomes even more difficult without offensive leaders Rafael Devers and Tyler O’Neill, who account for the majority of Boston’s power, as they recover from injuries. Trevor Story is out for the season, thus Triston Casas needs runners to drive in.

Duran already contributed significantly to the Red Sox lineup. Without its heavy hitters, they’ll have to rely on young athleticism and a dynamic style of play. It is up to Duran to lead that group forward with his play.