The Red Sox announced Friday that they’ve agreed to a one-year deal with outfielder Jarren Duran, avoiding arbitration. The BJB Group client reportedly receives a $3.85MM guarantee on a complex deal that also contains 2025 incentives and an $8MM club option for 2026 that can climb as high as $12MM based on escalators. Duran will be paid a $3.75MM salary, and the ’26 option comes with a $100K buyout.
Duran is already under club control through the 2028 season as a Super Two player. Even if the 2026 option is bought out — which would occur if the Red Sox feel his projected price in the arb process checked in south of the eventual option value — he would remain arbitration-eligible with the Sox for another three seasons. With Duran’s salary now locked in, the Red Sox have avoided arbitration hearings with their entire class (Duran, Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford).
In addition to his 2025 guarantee, Duran will earn $50K bonuses for reaching 450, 500 and 550 plate appearances. So long as he’s healthy, he should get the $4MM salary at which he filed. (The Red Sox had countered with a $3.5MM submission.)
As for the 2026 option, the base price will reportedly jump to $9MM if Duran finishes between 11th and 20th in AL MVP voting. (He finished eighth on the MVP ballot this past season.) It’ll be a $10MM option if he finishes between sixth and tenth, or an $11MM option if he lands second through fifth. If Duran is named the American League’s Most Valuable Player, the price of that option would jump to $12MM. If Duran is traded at any point between now and season’s end, the option would be eliminated and he’d receive a $100K assignment bonus from the acquiring team rather than the $100K buyout on said option.
Duran, who turned 28 in September, broke out with a monster 2024 showing this past season. In 735 trips to the plate, he logged a massive .285/.342/.492 batting line (129 wRC+) with 21 home runs, 48 doubles, 14 triples and 34 stolen bases (in 41 tries). The former top prospect walked at a career-best (but still below-average) 7.3% clip and slashed his strikeout rate to a lower-than-average 21.8%. For a player who punched out in 35.7% of his 112 plate appearances during 2021’s MLB debut, he’s made remarkable strides in his contact ability and swing decisions.
The Red Sox, like virtually every big league club, adopt the “file and trial” approach wherein they cut off negotiations on strict one-year deals after exchanging figures with a player. (The Cubs, notably, broke the near leaguewide file-and-trial approach to sign Kyle Tucker to a one-year deal yesterday.) The inclusion of a 2026 option on the contract, however, means that for arbitration purposes, Duran’s agreement is considered a multi-year deal. That option renders the Duran contract ineligible/inadmissible as a comp or data point in future negotiations (for the Sox and other teams) in one-year arbitration talks with other players.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com first reported Duran’s salary and option value. , bringing the total guarantee to $3.85MM. The 2026 option can climb as high as $12MM based on escalators tied to MVP voting and All-MLB honors, per Cotillo, Robert Murray of FanSided and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com added various financial details, while Alex Speier of the Boston Globe first reported the full breakdown of Duran’s option escalators.
Good compromise, really didn’t want the Durran situation to turn sour with an arb hearing. Glad they didn’t stick to their “file and trial” nonsense.
How good is he really?
178 – He is incredibly good.
This is great news for Red Sox Nation, possibly the best news of the entire offseason.
Now Duran can do his thing again this year!
78iq,
All-Star CF who had 8.7 WAR, finished 8th in MVP voting, lead the league in doubles and triples. He’s very good.
Good move for all involved. Nobody wanted to see this case go to arbitration. It gives Duran a path for 97.5% of what he asked for, as long as he stays healthy, and by adding a club option (at a pretty rich valuation by the standards of the arbitration system) it allows the team to stick to “file and trial” as a policy. Violating that policy would have implications in subsequent negotiations with other players.
I love jarren Duran for no specific reason at all.
*wink*
He needs a tennis racket to hit… a tennis racket!
@yung
I legit cant stop laughing everytime I watch the video, its the most random response you could think of.
I enjoyed when he call that creep in the stands a word. That sound bit was my ring tone for a while. Didn’t last long lol my phone rings a lot in public.
I’d have kept it. But that’s me.
me too.
of course you would let it be because you sound like a horrible person who is comfortable throwing slurs around.
Shut up, you bundle of sticks
@178
I usually keep my phone silent, but I would have an exception for that.
Because he hates diversity? *wink wink*
@dug
hates diversity?
how so?
also no, its my favorite word.
So A slur is the favorite word of a russian bot.
@acell
Glad you think I’m a bot LOL…I’m a bot because I’m Russian?
you sound dumb asf.
Would that not be considered a slur as well? I don’t think all Russians are bots.
you’re a bot because you’re parroting stupidity. Nothing to do with being Russian. You self identified as such. I suppose if you were smart and not bot you’d have realized that.
Instead you’re trying to bait people which is only working for the morons that agree with your viewpoint.
No Joe but he identified as Russian. If he said he was from any other country I would have added that qualifier as well.
Duran led majors in doubles, triples, PA, AB, 4th in xbh, all star, 8th in mvp
And he’s gonna make a whopping $3.7mil
Hope he follows it up with an even bigger yr
john – I hope somebody better than Rafaela hits in the 9-hole, so Duran can get more RBI opportunities. Perhaps Wong, who has decent speed for a catcher.
You already know why I’m here…
@jarren
I wish I could say the word on here
-sad crying emoji-
I think he was one of the only players asking for less than Matt Swartz projected, in his arbitration hearing.
Glad to see this work out, rather than turn ugly, especially since this is his first go through arbitration
This is good news, and hopefully doesnt poison the well for negotiations for beyond 2026.
I like the 2026 option, but I was hoping to lock him up for at least two more at such a reasonable price.
I’d bet money he will be traded in the next 2 years
‘Tang It,
Highly unlikely.
How do you figure? He’s getting more expensive and if he keeps playing well, he would fetch quite a bit in a trade. He is also not that young and I don’t think they ever intend to sign him long term. Not to mention the best prospect in baseball is waiting for his spot on the field. “Highly unlikely” seems highly uninformed.
Sad – It’s highly unusual to have an option for an ARB year, but this was a good move because it means they realize his value could skyrocket after this season.
Duran is also in a bit of a unique situation in having 4 arb years and already being on the older side before breaking out. If he plays out his arb years he’ll be 32 entering free agency. It’ll be hard to get any lengthy deal at that age. His best bet may be to have another outstanding season this year and then negotiate a 6 year deal this winter to cover his remaining arb years and 3 free agent years.
FPG – my point exactly! Lock him up for his last two Arb years, or more.
He’ll be 32 after ARB yrs, so i could perhaps understand the argument for not going to far past that. But, why not lock up the next two. Even if you want to trade him post 2026 it would be easier to trade a locked in contract
Why would it poison the well? It’s more than a fair compromise and skews toward Duran if anything. Duran has the ability to get the money he want plus a bump and has an option for 12 million for next year. If it poisoned the well that speaks more about Duran and his personality vs. something the sox did and I am by no means a supporter of Sox ownership.
Acell10 – I dont know about Duran’s personality, but in a world where millions are thrown around with ease, fighting over a few hundred thousand can seem petty. Who knows what an agent does or says regarding negotiations with a club………
But, there have been many an instance where these type of negotiations go sideways and the player holds a grudge or is upset. Id hate to see that happen because the Sox need another year of Duran’s best
Would have rather they just met his entirely reasonable ask in the first place, but attaching incentives/arb2 escalators is a good compromise. He’s easily going to make more than the $250k he came down from.
They basically did. He can get to 4 million with incentives.
“….he logged a massive .285/.342/.492 batting line…”
Uh, that’s not the definition of massive. It’s really good, though.
suffer – He did have the 2nd-highest OPS in MLB for a CF.
Combine that with his GG-caliber defense and baserunning skills, he was excellent!
the offense alone was 30% better than MLB average. The overall decline in offense the last 10 years has really skewed peoples perceptions. What would have been a slightly above average triple slash line not so long ago now qualifies as massive.
He led the MLB in both doubles and triples which had not been done in like 60 years. He is also the first in MLB history with at least 40 doubles, 30 stolen bases, and 20 HRs. Those stats are ‘massive’ IMO even if his batting line is only ‘really good’. I think the writer could have used additional stats to make his point.
If he’s traded the acquiring team pays the assignment charge?
That is my understanding. It is like they are paying the buyout.
So glad they didn’t have to go to a hearing.
If you’re building from within, it’s a good idea to not p*** your guys off over a couple hundred grand. I think Duran should get the next extension, but he’s put up enough numbers that he now won’t be Bello/Rafaela cheap.
Every team goes through this with players sometimes. It’s not a fun process, and feelings can get hurt, but it’s part of the game.
I know I’m in the minority, but I sell high on this guy and I trade him now. Red Sox have young outfielders coming out of their ears, and this guy was a knucklehead in the field just two years ago.
Get a Young starting caliber pitcher or two promising studs for him while you can. I don’t think he keeps this production up and I’m definitely not sure that he stays healthy.
I know I’m on an island with this, but I feel very strongly about it.
I don’t think that would have been the right move this winter, but I could see that changing in a year or two depending on how things develop.
I don’t think you’re trading high, because no one is going to trade based solely on his 2024 numbers.
Gary – The ideal situation is always to have star MLB players under team control (aka cheap) for multiple years. They have that in Duran.
So what’s the point of trading him for prospects?
A couple years ago he was learning a new position while dealing with psychological problems, the fact he overcame both makes him even more valuable. I really think you’re letting your personal feelings about him cloud your judgement. The fact that he’s not a model citizen or doesn’t have the same political views as you shouldn’t make a bit of difference.
And who would they get to replace him? Even if Roman begins the year in the Red Sox outfield, you’ve also got Abreu and ……… nobody. I want Campbell in the infield, not the outfield. And I don’t want Yoshida playing OF every day, if that’s what you’ve been thinking.
Santander is all that’s left, not a good fielder and profiles as a low OBP & high strikeout machine. Why commit huge bucks to a crappy defensive outfielder if you don’t need to?
At some point you’ve got to hang onto your best players if you intend on competing, otherwise you’re literally the Rays.
Are you saying the Red Sox won’t try to win for the next 4 years?
The voiding of the option is confusing to me.
If he’s traded, the acquiring team essentially buys out the option, so is he arbitration eligible with them?
If the Sox do not trade him, and void the deal, he’s arbitration eligible with them for 3 years, which seems like it would suck for Duran.
If the Sox keep him and pick up the option, what happens for him after 2026? Arbitration or would he be a normal FA?
These seem like dumb questions, but oh well.
Basically, they or any acquiring team get to keep control through their choice of signing a deal or defaulting to arbitration until he’s 32 years old.
So, if he has a down year, and boston thinks the arb raise is cheaper than 12m? You buy out the option for $100k, and, you retain control via arbitration.
I love Jarren Duran. I love his T-shirt (IYKYK) as well. This guy not only plays great baseball but has personality. I will follow the man even if he leaves the Sox. I think he is the Red Sox best tradeable asset if they want another ace level pitcher because they have Roman Anthony. If it’s not for an Ace though, he definitely earned his spot.
An OF of 3 of the 4 of Duran, Rafaela, Anthony, and Abreu (maybe Rafaela as super sub?) reminds me of the Killer B’s (Betts, Bradley, Benintendi).
The Sox have been great at developing OF talent.
Interesting to see if he gets the Doubles and triples again this year in his hustle. Word has gotten out to not to nonchalant the ball returning it back into the infield or he will take another base on you!
Thank God!
I wonder if they got tired of getting hammered on social media. It’s one thing to make an unpopular decision on a $100M player, but another thing entirely to get hammered over seat cushion change.
Or more likely they were working on a multi year deal the whole time and just ran out of time.