Why Jarren Duran is most to blame for Red Sox’s brutal start to 2026 season

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Why Jarren Duran is most to blame for Red Sox’s brutal start to 2026 season

Chris Spiering, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Apr 30, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Why Jarren Duran is most to blame for Red Sox's brutal start to 2026 season appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

There is no question that the Boston Red Sox would like to go to the top right corner of the screen and click restart on the 2026 season. At 12-19, the Sox have the worst record in the AL East division and second-worst in the American League, just one game better than the Houston Astros , who swept the Sox early in the season. Boston and Houston meet again on Friday night at Fenway Park for a 3-game series.

A lot has gone wrong for the Red Sox, and it starts from the top. Ownership decided to move on from Alex Cora and a few other members of the staff right away. They couldn't even make it to May. Both pitching and hitting have been subpar to start, and only two names have started the season with respectable numbers offensively.

Wilyer Abreu and newcomer Willson Contreras are the only two with an OPS higher than .716. Trevor Story , Roman Anthony , Ceddanne Rafaela , and Jarren Duran , plus more, are all struggling. One in particular that stands out right now is Duran, who recently played for Team Mexico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Duran has been a very good player for the Red Sox since 2023, and he really burst onto the scene in 2024 with a WAR that reached 8.7. In 2024, he slashed .285/.342/..492 with an OPS of .834. He smacked 21 home runs and drove in 75 runs. He added 48 doubles, 14 triples, and stole 34 bags. With runners on second and third, Duran was 7/14 with 14 RBIs and hit .285 with RISP.

His 2025 season was not as great, but Duran still managed to see his WAR reach 4.6 as he drove in a career-high of 84 runs and walked 60 times, also a career high. With RISP, Duran hit .313 with four home runs and 63 RBIs.

The lefty can play all three outfield spots and serves as a very valuable player. 2026 has just not been kind to him. He's hitting just .170 with one home run, five doubles, 11 RBIs, seven walks, and an OPS of just .481. Duran is a much better hitter than his 17-100 to begin the season shows.

Why Jarren Duran is most to blame for Red Sox's brutal start to 2026 season

Duran has been a spark for the lineup for the last three years. They have relied on him to come up clutch with runners in scoring position. His RISP numbers are showcased above, and in 2026, the lefty is hitting .286 with RISP. The Sox are used to seeing him come through in those moments. His numbers mock the years above, but the issue is that it's the only time he is hitting. With bases empty or a runner on first, he is hitting just .136 and 1.54, respectively.

Boston has moved him all over the lineup this season, but as of late, he has been hitting leadoff, trying to become a spark at the top. It has not worked yet, as Duran is hitless in his last four games. The only home run Duran has had on the season came in a 13-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins .

It's a shame to see the Sox playing this poorly with all the talent they have on the team. They added Contreras to the lineup, and he has an OPS of .861 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He's been the team's best hitter, yet nobody else is really showing up outside of Abreu.

Roman Anthony is certainly someone who is worthy of being blamed more; however, his offensive numbers are better than Duran's at this point in the season. Something needs to change with the Red Sox. If Duran can get going, maybe he can be the spark that the team desperately needs.

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