Just as the MLB trade deadline nears, the rumor mill is kicking into overdrive. Teams across the league are assessing their rosters and eyeing potential blockbuster deals that could change the course of their season. Amid all this, a stunning revelation involving the Red Sox has grabbed all the spotlight.
Reportedly, the Red Sox are exploring a bold move centered around rising star outfielder Jarren Duran. The catch? It could involve bringing back a familiar face.
Well, Duran has been one of Boston’s top performers this season. He is hitting .271 with 5 home runs and has been a steady presence in the lineup. But Boston faces two glaring needs: starting pitching and first base.
“The Red Sox will try to deal one of their outfielders for starting pitching help and an upgrade at first base,“ The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote. Now, that’s where things get interesting about Boston’s potential reunion with a familiar face: Chris Sale!
“There have been at least conversations about a Duran for Sale swap with the Braves. The former Red Sox lefty is coming off winning the National League Cy Young in 2024 and is 4-4 with a 2.79 ERA in 80.2 IP through 14 starts in 2025,” MLB insider Matthew Crory posted on X to add more to the intrigue.
Per source: there have been at least conversations about a Duran for Sale swap with the Braves
The former Red Sox lefty is coming off winning the National League Cy Young in 2024 and is 4-4 with a 2.79 ERA in 80.2 IP through 14 starts in 2025#RedSox #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/5HpN6b2Y29
— Matthew Crory (@matthewcrory) June 13, 2025
Sale is the 2024 Cy Young winner, and is currently throwing fireballs for the Braves with a 2.79 ERA and 107 strikeouts. He pitched for the Red Sox from 2017 to 2023 and delivered some truly unforgettable moments. Remember his first season with the team? He posted a 17–8 record with a 2.90 ERA and an astounding 308 strikeouts, becoming just the second pitcher in franchise history to eclipse the 300-strikeout mark!
But as injuries began to pile up and his massive contract loomed, the Red Sox made a tough call. Sale got traded to the Braves in December 2023 in return for infield prospect Vaughn Grissom. However, the game changed after the veteran pitcher made a Cy Young-winning performance last year.
But from Boston’s point of view, why trade Duran and not Ceddane Rafaela or Wilyer Abreu?
Well, Duran may be producing at the plate at the moment, but Wilyer Abreu (25) and Ceddanne Rafaela (24) are younger in age and might work better from a long-term perspective. Moreover, the recent call-up of top prospect Roman Anthony only adds to the logjam.
Whatever route Boston eventually takes, there is no doubt they need pitching quality in the line-up.
The Red Sox’s pitching line-up needs rejuvenation
One of the most glaring issues for the Red Sox this season has been their unreliable pitching. And it often starts dismantling right from the first inning. Why? Because even ace Garrett Crochet, despite his brilliant form, has been prone to first-inning home runs!
Currently, the Red Sox have a 4.08 ERA in the opening frame, ranking 21st in MLB. Now, that’s a stat that underlines their struggles to set the tone early. But the real concern lies with the rest of the rotation apart from Crochet.
While Crochet is leading with 110 SOs, Walker Buehler stands at a distant second with 51. This highlights just how desperately the Red Sox need an upgrade in the starting rotation as the trade deadline approaches.
Remember the second game of the recent Yankees series? It laid bare how vulnerable the Red Sox rotation truly is. On Friday night, it was Buehler, who gave up two home runs in a brutal five-run opening frame that ultimately led to a 9–6 loss to their AL East rivals.
These early implosions have become all too common for Boston, exposing the rotation’s fragility and intensifying the urgency for reinforcements. Someone like Chris Sale might just be the perfect dose to rejuvenate the lineup.
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