Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has introduced a few mechanical adjustments over the last few weeks, though they might not have been noticeable if you weren’t made aware.
If you did catch the change, it might be time to go touch some grass.
Duran tweaked his stance at the plate, reverting back to a more upright approach in an effort to generate some power. It didn’t come in the form of direction from anyone with the Red Sox, but directly as a result of Duran looking to hit the ball out of the yard more than he had been.
It worked.
Duran had just one home run through his first 43 games of the season, and after switching things up in his approach at the plate, belted two in his following six games. Tyler Milliken of The Sports Hub pointed out how those two shots happened to be the the second- (427 feet) and third-longest (425) of his big league career.
He’s also made some changes defensively, which have turned him into one of the premier outfielders in MLB. Duran ranks second in defensive runs saved in the entire league with 10.
“I’m seeing dramatic improvement from two years ago,” Red Sox outfield coach Kyle Hudson told The Boston Globe. “We saw some improvement last year in the numbers and everything else, and then he’s taking it to another level this year. He’s considered probably the one of the best defenders in the game right now. The metrics are saying that.”
What else could he improve on? He’s already one of the fastest guys in baseball.. wait, what’s that? He’s tried to improve on that, too?
Duran, likely understanding the “lizard” nickname he’s earned from some probably isn’t a compliment, has looked to clean up his running form to be more fluid. It’s just another example of a never-ending desire to improve.
“We’re seeing the benefits of a kid going out there and wanting to get better every day. It’s translating to the field. I’m proud of the kid. I tell him that every day,” Hudson said. “If he can stay healthy and continues to do what he does, I can absolutely see (him winning a Gold Glove). That’d be an awesome reward for a guy who goes out there and works as hard as he does every day.”
Duran is a legitimate candidate for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, carrying a .339/.461/.800 slash line into the final week of May. If he can keep it up, he might just be riding on a jet to Arlington, Texas in July.
