One of the first trade deadline rumors of the 2025 MLB trade deadline had the San Diego Padres expressing interest in an outfielder. With a clear need in left field, and nothing done about it so far, the Padres are still vying for a new left fielder.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported that multiple executives believe that Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran is likely to be traded. “I was surprised by how many front office executives mentioned Duran,” Bowden wrote.
San Diego had been inquiring with the Red Sox about Duran’s availability since before Rafael Devers was traded. So, it’s no surprise that Bowden writes, “He has been linked with the Padres and Phillies in trade talks.”
There is one overarching issue with a potential Duran to the Padres trade. That is the Padres’ lack of resources to pull off a deal. If a team like the Philadelphia Phillies, as Bowden mentions, were to get involved, then the Padres might be out of the running.
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But if they have the assets, the Padres are expected to be one of the top suitors for the 2024 All-Star Game MVP. While Duran hasn’t been like his All-Star self from a year ago, he’s still been solid for the Red Sox in 2025.
He has a .253 batting average with a .313 on-base percentage and a .410 slugging percentage. While not his 2024 slash line of .285/.342/.492, Duran is still a solid hitter.
Part of what makes Duran such an attractive trade chip is that he’s also under team control through the 2028 season. The Padres, or any team trading for him, would get Duran for the next three and a half seasons.
At 28 years old, he is a little older, but for a team in a contending window, he’d be a perfect player to acquire. He’ll be cheap, controllable, and talented. There aren’t many players like that on the trade market, so teams are, expectedly, interested in Duran.
The Padres have been linked to Duran for over a month now, and this report from Bowden and MLB executives further strengthens the connection. While a lot needs to happen for a Duran trade to occur, it seems more possible than it did not too long ago.
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