Jarren Duran’s name has been in the potential trade candidate for a hot minute now. And it seems like by the day, it’s becoming clearer. Jim Bowden had reported that the Red Sox were actively listening to offers for the 29-year-old outfielder. And now, doubling down on this is an insider who even named three players because of why Duran would be let go.

Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Roman Anthony might be the reason Duran walks away. Insider Robbie Hyde, in his podcast, gave these names of who he feels make more sense for the team’s roster and long-term plans.

“They have too many outfielders right now for starting spots… To me, I could see Duran being the odd man out.” And it does make sense.

Abreu and Rafaela are both super defenders, and Anthony is one of baseball’s young talents – and has already made it into the Boston Red Sox’s plans. Hyde also mentioned that Duran’s offensive ability and years of cheap team control mean he would be an attractive trade target. So Hyde’s analysis isn’t wrong.

Now, which teams would be interested? If rumours say anything, then right now, the Dodgers, Reds, Pirates, and Royals make the most sense. Also, just because Duran is on the plausible trade-away list does not mean he is not valuable. Even after a dip from his breakout 2024 run, he put in an impressive 2025 round. He hit .256 with a .774 OPS, 16 home runs, 84 RBIs, 41 doubles, and a league-leading 13 triples.

But the reality is grim, given Boston’s outfield is in a logjam. Alongside Abreu, Rafaela, and Roman Anthony, the Red Sox have Masataka Yoshida, Kristian Campbell, and top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia pushing for reps. There seem to be more players than spots, and someone has to go.

Boston, moreover, needs a front-line starter to pair with Crochet, and one proposal from Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter suggests moving Duran to Kansas for All-Star lefty Kris Bubic. Now, that would clear the crowd all the while upgrading the rotation, too.

Losing Duran won’t be easy, but Boston might not have the luxury of choice. And coming to the choice, they have one major one to make.

Should the Boston Red Sox go for Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso?

Right now, there is no doubt that the Boston Red Sox need a true middle-of-the-order slugger. Someone with 40 Homer potential who can change the feel of the entire lineup. It is a blessing for them that two of the best power bats are now free agents. Kyle Schwarber is the Philly fan favourite, and of course, another is Pete Alonso.

Schwarber is coming off a 56-homer season, and Alonso a 38-home-run season, and is the owner of three separate 40-plus-home-run seasons. Now here is the truth for Boston–they can’t land both; in fact, they might miss out on both, too.

If the Red Sox want to maximise their chances, they need to lock the name and target it. And according to Ian Browne, the answer is obvious–Pete Alonso. Sure, the run for Alonso seems murky now, but trying doesn’t hurt. Plus, Browne’s reasoning hits several key needs for the Boston Red Sox. He pointed out that Boston’s lineup has been lefty-titled for three straight seasons.

This makes them vulnerable against opposing left-handed starters. With no guarantee of Bregman’s return, Browne argues that Boston must add a right-handed force in the middle of the order. And even beyond the handedness, Alonso brings positional value too.

Schwarber is strictly a DH, while Alonso can play at first base and rotate with Casas, who is still rehabbing from his knee surgery and could return by opening day. Plus, Alonso is two years younger, so this makes him the smarter choice.

There is, of course, the counter that Schwarber was a more impactful hitter last season. And Boston, at the end of the day, needs to run production and loads of it. So who do you think fits Boston best?