The Boston Red Sox need a power bat in the middle of their order, preferably a right-handed one, and they have a surplus of outfielders to trade. But according to a new report, if the bat they want is Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, the outfielder traded to get him will not be 28-year-old Jarren Duran.
The report appeared to indicate that the Red Sox are shifting their strategy as they reportedly pursue Paredes — who has belted 92 home runs in his 1,912 career at-bats, an average of one per every 21 at-bats — though the change may have come in response to the Astros’ demands.
After losing free agent Alex Bregman, who occupied the Fenway Park hot corner for 114 games last year, the Red Sox have a vacancy there, and Paredes has been the target, at least according to media reports.
With last year’s rookie sensation Roman Anthony apparently tabbed to take over left field, and Gold Glove winners Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu occupying center field and right field, respectively, Duran would appear to be the obvious trade candidate. The 2024 All-Star Game MVP, Duran combines power — with 16 home runs last year and 21 in 2024 — and speed.
Duran in his career has averaged one home run for each 39 at-bats, well behind Paredes’ pace.
The former Cal State Long Beach Dirtbag has 91 career stolen bases and has led the American League in triples for two straight years, with 13 in 2025 and 14 the year before.
That is why it had been generally believed that Duran was at the center of a Red Sox trade package designed to get Paredes. But on Friday, Astros insider Will Kunkel — sports director at KRIV-TV in Houston — took to his social media account to state, quite definitively, “The Houston Astros are NOT in trade talks for Red Sox OF Jarren Duran, per source.”
If Not Duran, Who Do the Astros Want?
If indeed Duran is no longer on the table, what is the Red Sox’s new strategy in their reported attempt to bring the 26-year-old Paredes to Boston? On a recent podcast, as reported by Katie Manganelli of BoSox Injection, Astros insider Chandler Rome of The Athletic said that it is actually Abreu who is the object of Houston’s desire.
Back in 2017, it was the Astros who signed the then-17-year-old Abreu as an international free agent out of Venezuela, handing the young outfielder a $300,000 signing bonus.
At the 2022 trade deadline, however, the Astros traded Abreu along with infielder Enmanuel Valdez to the Red Sox for veteran catcher Christian Vazquez. Boston brought him up for his big league debut just over one year later.
In his official rookie season of 2024, Abreu won a Gold Glove for his right-field defense while compiling a .781 OPS with 15 home runs in 399 at-bats.
Duran and Abreu Have Displayed Similar Production
Why the Astros would rule out Duran in favor of Abreu, as appears to have happened based on the various reports, remains unclear — other than some familiarity with Abreu from his years in their minor league system. The two players have largely similar career statistical profiles, and both are left-handed hitters.
Abreu in his career of two full seasons plus the tail end of 2023 has smacked 39 home runs in 848 at-bats, or one for every 22 at-bats, more in line with Paredes’ long-ball production.
Abreu has compiled a career OPS of .791 to Duran’s .780. Duran has averaged 3.45 WAR per 500 plate appearances. Abreu’s per-500 PA WAR stands at 3.85.
