Angels should exploit looming Red Sox dilemma created by Jarren Duran arbitration projection

There's a chance that we're in-store for a low-key offseason once more this winter as the Los Angeles Angels wait out the impending lockout and the official closing of the transaction that will see Stan Kroenke officially take control of the franchise from Arte Moreno.

However, low-key doesn't mean inactive or inefficient, as it did under Perry Minasian. We've already seen why John Mozeliak is a reputable general manager, one who is capable of maximizing the resources at his disposal and making smart baseball decisions.

One way he can do that is via the trade market, targeting former top prospects who could use a change of scenery. That's just one avenue that he can pursue without making blockbuster deals. Another one is to take advantage of the arbitration landscape and nab some fresh talent, either via trade or by capitalizing on the non-tender class.

One player who seems to be on the non-tender block and should clearly pique Mozeliak's interest is Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. The Red Sox have long dealt with a glut of outfielders, including Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Masataka Yoshida, in addition to Duran. Anthony was signed to a big extension, Abreu has been a solid all-around performer, Rafaela is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, and Yoshida is owed $18.6 million in 2027. All of them have more compelling claims to a roster spot than Duran.

There are also early rumors that Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena could be a free-agent target for Boston. Every one of those Red Sox outfielders, save for Rafaela, hits left-handed, so adding Arozarena would still make sense. It would also make it even more imperative that Boston moves an outfielder.

Arbitration could be the nail in Duran's coffin. The 30-year-old is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $11.1 million in 2027. That's a lot of cash for what essentially amounts to a spare part.

Jarren Duran could give the Angels exactly what they've been searching for if he rebounds in 2027

There's another reason why the Red Sox would want to move on from Duran, and that's the fact that his 2026 season was an abject disaster. The once-dynamic outfielder hit just .207/.266/.361 this year.

At one point in time, Duran would have been a highly sought-after trade chip, but now, Boston might struggle to find a taker and could be forced to non-tender him. While Los Angeles could wait out that process, the club might be better served by offering the Red Sox a lottery ticket to secure Duran's services.

Why would the Angels want someone who was terrible? Well, that has to do with his past. In 2024, Duran was electric. He slashed .285/.342/.492 with 21 homers and 38 steals, which earned him an All-Star selection where he'd go on to win the Midsummer Classic MVP. All in all, it was a 6.9 fWAR campaign.

2025 didn't reach the same heights, but Duran was still a positive contributor. He hit .256/.332/.442 with 16 dingers and 24 stolen bases. He's also been a plus defender over the years.

If Duran responds well to a change of scenery, he could provide the power-speed-defense combo that the Halos were hoping that Josh Lowe could've been this past season.

Duran has primarily played left field the past couple of seasons, but the majority of his work came in center field in 2024, with some decent stints in center in both 2025 and 2026. He might not be a Gold Glover there, but given that Mike Trout has requested to play left field with a healthy dose of DH days, a competent outfielder with big league experience in center would be a nice thing to have.

At the end of the day, all Duran would really cost is money, and a relatively reasonable sum at that. While we're waiting for the deep pockets of Kroenke to arrive and go on real spending sprees, this kind of savvy, under-the-radar move could pay huge dividends.

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