Jarren Duran did not crack the Red Sox’s 2023 Opening Day roster, which increased doubt about the 27-year-old’s prospects of becoming a true big leaguer.
Duran hasn’t only vanquished those concerns this season, but he’s established himself as one of the better outfielders in baseball.
That notion was legitimized Sunday night when Duran was selected to the American League All-Star team. It was an impressive accomplishment for the 2018 seventh-round pick, who’s made tremendous strides in multiple facets of his game and has become one of the most important players on Boston’s roster.
It also was an accolade Duran wasn’t expecting once he cut his teeth in the majors. The California native admitted as much when ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” crew asked if he ever imagined he’d be an All-Star.
“Truthfully, no,” Duran said.”I just always thought I’d be the pesky guy everyone hates to play because of how hard I run everything out.”
Duran clearly hasn’t lost that chip on his shoulder despite venturing into stardom. He remains a pain to play against and takes great pride in posting, as he’s yet to miss a game for the Red Sox this season.
Boston will host the Oakland Athletics and the Kansas City Royals for three-game series this week before Duran heads off to Texas. And he won’t have to make the trip alone, as teammates Rafael Devers and Tanner Houck earned spots at the Midsummer Classic as well.
