BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox, still licking their wounds from a heartbreaking midseason trade that sent star third baseman Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in June, find themselves embroiled in yet another self-inflicted crisis. This time, it’s center fielder Jarren Duran – once the darling of Fenway Park after his breakout 2024 All-Star campaign – who’s at the center of a firestorm. Fresh off a disappointing 2025 season marred by slumps and a two-game suspension for an anti-gay slur, Duran has demanded a staggering salary triple his current $7.7 million deal, positioning himself to eclipse even Devers’ former lofty earnings. The bold move has sparked outrage from manager Alex Cora, who didn’t hold back during a tense practice session, accusing Duran of “inappropriate behavior” that has fractured the locker room.

The drama unfolded on a crisp November afternoon at Fenway Park, just days after the Red Sox locked in Duran’s one-year, $7.7 million contract for 2026, avoiding what had been a contentious arbitration process. Duran, 29, had filed for $4 million in January only to settle lower amid whispers of trade rumors swirling around him. But undeterred, the outfielder – who slashed .256/.322/.452 with 16 homers and 13 triples in 157 games this year, a far cry from his MVP-caliber 2024 – cornered team management during an optional workout. Sources close to the organization say Duran, flanked by his agent, laid out a proposal for a multi-year extension worth north of $23 million annually, citing his “irreplaceable” role in the lineup and the void left by Devers’ departure.

Devers’ exit on June 15 remains a raw nerve for Red Sox Nation. The Dominican slugger, who inked an 11-year, $330 million extension in 2023, was shipped to the Giants in a four-player swap that brought back pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III, and infielder Jose Bello. The trade, executed mere hours after a sweep of the Yankees, stemmed from mounting tensions: Devers balked at shifting from third base to DH after Boston signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million pact in February. His .272/.401/.504 line in 73 games with the Sox masked deeper issues – 141 career errors at third, a refusal to adapt, and contract regrets that owner John Henry was all too eager to offload. In San Francisco, Devers has thrived, posting .236/.347/.460 with 20 homers in 90 games, including a poignant first blast against his old club. The deal saved Boston over $250 million in future commitments, but it gutted the heart of their offense, leaving Duran as the de facto face of the franchise.

Enter Duran’s audacious ask. “I have dedicated so much to this team but I never received the reward I deserve,” Duran declared to reporters post-practice, his voice echoing off the Green Monster. The statement, laced with frustration over his arbitration battles and the team’s 85-77 finish – good enough for a wild-card tease but not the playoffs – struck a chord with fans weary of diva antics. Duran, who led the majors in doubles and triples in 2024 before regressing amid 192 strikeouts this year, pointed to his 8.7 fWAR from two seasons ago as justification. Tripling his salary would vault him past Devers’ $30 million average annual value, a move insiders called “tone-deaf” given the Sox’s rebuild under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

The backlash was swift and searing. Manager Alex Cora, whose own contract runs through 2027 after a 2024 extension, pulled no punches during the session. Witnesses describe a heated exchange where Cora berated Duran for “disrespecting the grind” by prioritizing pay over preparation, even as teammates like Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu – fresh off Gold Glove wins – looked on in stunned silence. “This isn’t about one guy cashing in while the rest bleed for the badge,” Cora reportedly shouted, later confirming to the media that Duran’s “inappropriate behavior” – a mix of outbursts and sideline sulking – had poisoned the atmosphere. “We’ve got young kids stepping up, like Roman Anthony coming next year, and this? This is locker room panic. It undermines everything we’re building post-Devers.”

Teammates echoed the sentiment in hushed tones. Shortstop Trevor Story, recovering from injuries, called it a “distraction we can’t afford,” while veteran Chris Sale, the ace who anchored the rotation, urged unity in a group text. The incident harkens back to Duran’s August 2024 suspension, when he directed a slur at a fan, costing him games and drawing league scrutiny. Despite a public apology and counseling, questions linger about his maturity. “Jarren’s electric when he’s locked in,” Cora admitted post-incident, “but demands like this? They scream entitlement, not excellence.”

As the sun set over Fenway, the real gut punch landed from the front office. President Tom Werner, known for his measured demeanor, fired off a nine-word missive via email to Duran: “Loyalty earns rings; greed builds walls alone.” The curt response, leaked within hours, left the outfielder ashen-faced, sources say, his bold gambit crumbling under the weight of institutional memory. Werner, who navigated the Devers saga with surgical precision, has long preached “Boston Strong” over big bucks, pointing to the 2018 World Series core built on grit, not guarantees.

The ripple effects are already being felt. Trade whispers, dormant since November’s GM meetings, have reignited, with the Yankees and Dodgers circling Duran’s speed and switch-hitting prowess. Breslow, speaking in Las Vegas, hinted at adding a “premier bat” this winter, but insiders fear Duran’s antics could accelerate a deal. Fans, divided on social media, chant “Let him walk” alongside pleas for patience – after all, Duran’s 41 doubles in 2025 were a bright spot in a lineup that ranked 22nd in runs scored post-Devers.

For Duran, the path forward is fraught. A prodigious talent scouted out of high school, he’s morphed from raw prospect to polarizing star, his fire both asset and liability. “I spoke from the heart,” he told NESN later, eyes downcast. “But maybe the timing was off. This team’s my home – I just want what’s fair.” Cora, ever the strategist, tempered his ire: “Show it on the field next spring. That’s the only contract that matters.”

As winter looms, the Red Sox grapple with identity. Devers’ ghost lingers in empty third-base chatter; Duran’s plea exposes fault lines in a franchise chasing relevance. Will this be the spark for resurgence or the fuse to another rebuild? In Boston, where curses once haunted, the real panic brews not from goats or brooms, but from the men wielding the bats. For now, the locker room simmers, a powder keg awaiting ignition – or, perhaps, redemption.