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Alex Cora's Boston Red Sox have exceeded expectations thus far, largely thanks to the impact of Jarren Duran. Through 76 games, he is hitting .280/.347/.478 with seven home runs and 34 runs batted in.
Not much was expected from this team coming into the new season after a quiet offseason. But, Boston currently sits with a 40-36 record, placing them third in the highly-competitive American League East.
Cora was looking to give the slugger a day off on Saturday after Duran has played in every single game thus far. However, he declined the invitation with a pretty savage response.
"F*ck that" - Alex Cora speaking on Jarren Duran's response to taking a day off.
Duran was not interested in taking a day off on Saturday as he wanted to be in the lineup against the Cincinnati Reds. He wanted to avenge the team's 5-2 loss in Game 1 of the series on Friday.
That is the type of player that every manager wants on their roster. There is no denying that Duran wants to help the team as much as he possibly can.
Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox have some decisions to make regarding Jarren Duran
The MLB trade deadline, which will take place July 30, is slowly starting to creep up. Alex Cora and the Red Sox must figure out what type of team they will be when the time comes.
While they have played well so far, they are 10 games behind the New York Yankees who lead the division. If the front office feels that the gap is too large, they could sell some pieces at the deadline.
If they become sellers, Jarren Duran will certainly be a name that attracts multiple teams. There are a handful of teams that are looking for some outfield help with the surging amount of injuries this season.
One team that The Athletic's Jim Bowden has linked to Duran is the San Francisco Giants. he could see the club going after the young slugger with the season-ending injury to Jung Hoo Lee.
However, it would be tough for Boston to part ways with Duran. He has been a player that the team has depended upon this season, and the fanbase would be disappointed.
All eyes will be on the slugger over the next few weeks as teams start to get serious with trade talks.
