It’s one of those cases where urgency meets opportunity. On one side, there’s the Boston Red Sox, who are ready to introduce their top prospect to the big leagues. On the other hand, there are the Houston Astros, who have just found a gaping hole in their offensive structure. Well, given the woes both teams are facing, it’s a resolvable situation, to say the least.
The Red Sox are in need of some serious reshaping to open up a roster spot for their No. 1 outfield prospect, Roman Anthony. Oh, and they are also on the hunt for a first baseman. Meanwhile, the Astros are in desperate need of left-handed hitters in order to balance their lineup’s right-heavy batting order. Given the needs of both franchises, perhaps a potential trade is just what they need.
But that isn’t the most interesting part! Apparently, the Astros already have someone on the Red Sox’s roster in mind, and that someone comes with a $100 million price tag. Well, yes! The guesses are right, it’s Jarren Duran. Fans, as well as critics, very well know the phenomenal 2024 season Duran is coming off. He was named the All-Star Game MVP and also finished 8th in AL MVP voting. He’s hitting free agency in 2028 and will turn 32 by then.
But of course, it’s merely a speculation, as Pete Abraham of the Globe Staff clarified.
Duran was projected for even more, but his age appeared to be a gamble not many seemed interested in playing. As ESPN’s Jeff Pasan reported, “Duran was originally on the $200 million list, but his age is a mitigating factor.” The thing is, he’s undoubtedly a dynamic and versatile player, but since he will be turning 32 in 2028, it’s uncertain how well he will age. ‘Cause outfielders who depend on their legs tend not to age well. For that reason, a $100 million contract could serve as a good consolation prize.
Given the fact that the Red Sox can’t wait long to bring up highly touted young outfielder Anthony, Duran could be a part of this deal. This speculation became somewhat credible when Astros manager Dana Brown revealed that Astros-Red Sox are willing to explore trade options during this stretch of the season. If not Duran, the Astros may try for Wilyer Abreu, who was once an Astros prospect, or Isaac Paredes, a right-handed-hitting infielder. Paredes has 40 career starts at first base to his name.
Currently, the Red Sox are in dire need of making changes. They have had enough of hovering around .500 all season. Having Anthony up in the majors and acquiring a brand-new first baseman are their priorities. That being said, they would probably look to trade Duran.
Red Sox fans’ wild celebration for Jarren Duran’s home run
While the trade rumors are swirling around the Red Sox’s star Duran, a fan decided to make his own kind of splash. When the Red Sox went up against the Baltimore Orioles, Duran was playing exceptionally well. Some may say he was his usual self.
Meanwhile, in the stands, an overly enthusiastic fan couldn’t hold back his intrusive thoughts and left the attendees, viewers, and announcers—everyone—in disbelief. When the cameras caught Duran’s soaring home run, they also caught a fan back in the stands, drenched in rain, wearing a green Indianapolis 500 t-shirt. After Duran’s home run, he pulled out a gallon of milk. Quite literally, he poured it all over himself in the name of celebration.
More than half of the milk from the container ended up streaming down his entire body. Only a small amount made its way to his mouth. Basically, it is said that he was imitating a ritual commonly seen at a racetrack. But definitely not in a baseball stadium. This unusual instance appeared to be a nod to the long-standing Indianapolis 500 ritual. In this ritual, race winners are known to gulp milk in the victory lane. This tradition goes all the way back to 1936. The crossover of sports here was very oddly timed.
Will you believe that the Indy 500 and the Red Sox matchup were both scheduled to air on the Fox Network? This odd act by the fan was noticed by the play-by-play announcer, Kevin Kugler, too. He believes it could be a cross-promotional move. Or you can even say it’s simply the kind of energy Duran’s home runs give!
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