What should the Sox do with Jarren
The Red Sox have nearly hit the season’s one-third mark, and in the coming days they’ll wrap up this week’s extended west coast road trip and return to Fenway to kick off the summer slate.
Sounds like as good a time as any to empty the mailbag.
Today we’ll cover some early trade speculation, possible offseason moves and how the Red Sox are going to deal with their impending roster crunch as the club starts getting healthier.
Q:I wanted to get your take on what the Sox should do when Adam Duvall returns. In my opinion, Jarren Duran has played his way as the starting center fielder and should not have to relinquish his spot to Duvall. Given the current batting average of (Triston) Casas, can he and Duvall platoon and perhaps Duvall DH once or twice a week?
It speaks to how good Duran has been that anyone has this kind of sentiment, since the last time we saw Duvall he was in the midst of an epic hot streak with four home runs and 14 RBI in his first eight games with the club. It is a great question though, and also a great problem for the Red Sox to have.
Short answer, I think when Duvall is activated he’ll get his job in center field back, and I don’t see a larger everyday shakeup in the picture. Moving Masataka Yoshida or Alex Verdugo out of their corner outfield spots isn’t an option, and the Red Sox are already sort of doing the first base platoon you suggested with Casas and Justin Turner. Plus, taking more at-bats away from Casas would only stunt his development, and while his batting average on the season still isn’t good he’s been better in May and leads the Red Sox in walks.
As for Duran, I think when the time comes he will probably
go back to Worcester so he can continue getting regular playing time. You can talk yourself into all kinds of roster contortions, but at the end of the day when Duvall comes back the Red Sox would have six outfielders, including two left-handed bats off the bench.
That just isn’t workable, and while there’s no doubt Duran has earned his place
in the big leagues, he’s not at a point in his career where he’d be well served getting only sporadic at-bats per week. It would be better for everyone involved to stick with Raimel Tapia in that pinch-hitter/runner bench role and for Duran to stay ready for his next opportunity, whether it comes due to an injury, a trade or some other unforeseen development,
or for when rosters expand in September.
Q: Do you see James Paxton as a July trade candidate, barring some unbelievable run by the Red Sox? He’s almost 35, massive injury risk, rental, tradable contract, likely not part of plans beyond ‘23 and the Sox have young options they could slot into the rotation.
I think it’s far too early to draw any kind of conclusions about James Paxton and his future with the Red Sox, but based on what we’ve seen so far, no, definitely not.
For one, the Red Sox aren’t likely to be sellers at the trade deadline. As of this writing they are only 2.5 games
back of the last AL Wild Card spot, close enough where it wouldn’t require an “unbelievable run” to get above the cut line. It might just take one good week.
If they are in a similar place by late July then wouldn’t they owe it to themselves to add an impact arm, not send one away?
Beyond that, Paxton has so far been about as good as