Jarren Duran did not expect to make the American League All-Star team two weeks ago. The 27-year-old did not make the top 15 outfielders in fan polling, but he proved he clearly should have.
On June 16, the Boston Red Sox outfielder continued his outstanding season at Globe Life Field. He entered the All-Star game with the score tied 3-3 in the fifth inning and hit the game-winning home run in his first at-bat.
Duran praised his job as the ball soared into the stands, then flipped his bat to start his trot, which he said he’d never done. He stayed in the lineup for the remainder of the game and eventually accepted the Ted Williams MVP Award for the night’s best performance.
“I feel like it won’t hit me until I try to sleep tonight,” Duran stated at the postgame press conference. “Who knows if I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”
Duran was noticeably impressed throughout the celebrations in Arlington, Texas. Fans could sense how significant the occasion was for one of Boston’s brightest talents.
Duran was drafted in the seventh round by the Red Sox in 2018, and he has been honest about his struggles to reach the majors. Duran wears his mottos, “still alive,” and “f–k ’em,” on his wrist tape as a testament of his hard work and tenacity in the face of mental health difficulties — the words were visible as he lifted his MVP award, a full circle moment for the once-underestimated selection.
Red Sox Jarren Duran, 2024 All-Star Game MVP and one of Dave Dombrowski’s draft picks, has become one of MLB’s top players.
Few anticipated Duran to emerge into a true star for the Red Sox. He was overshadowed by Dave Dombrowski’s first-round pick that year, Triston Casas, who was 18 years old. As one of the most athletic and well-rounded players in the game, he now stands out.
Boston fans have been critical of Dombrowski for how he departed the farm system after being fired as chief baseball officer in 2019. Many of his selections were uninspiring, but he went with Duran, Casas, and Ceddanne Rafaela, who appear to be the team’s future stars.
Duran has worked hard to establish himself as one of MLB’s greatest players this season. As Boston’s playoff drive continues and Duran’s candidacy for MVP grows stronger, Red Sox Nation will rally behind him.
