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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the on deck circle before batting against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a game at Fenway Park on June 17, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
If there is someone glad to see the calendar flip from June to July, it\u2019s Boston Red Sox<\/a> outfielder Jarren Duran. Over the last 30 days, Duran slashed .144\/.168\/.227 with three extra-base hits after he clubbed nine home runs in the month of May alone.<\/p>\n He closed out June with a quiet 3-for-3 performance against the Washington Nationals<\/a> and right-hander Cade Cavalli. Duran wasn\u2019t alone in struggling at Fenway Park on Tuesday night as Cavalli struck out 13 in a dominating performance in an 8-1 victory.<\/p>\n After the game, interim manager Chad Tracy said that there might be some off days in Duran\u2019s future with left-handed pitchers coming up. That will be the case on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match against Washington.<\/p>\n Boston Red Sox Outfielder Jarren Duran Not in Wednesday Lineup Against Nationals<\/p>\n According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com<\/a>, Duran will not be in the lineup against 27-year-old Andrew Alvarez. However, Willson Contreras will be back in the lineup after getting ejected in the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday night. It was the second straight game<\/a> he had been thrown out of. He was ejected on Monday night as well against the Nationals.<\/p>\n Afternoon baseball on deck. <\/p>\n As far as Duran goes, the writing has been on the wall that getting a rest was going to happen. Tracy hinted at it following Tuesday night\u2019s loss, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he gets hot, he can hit lefties and righties,\u201d said Tracy. \u201cSo this stretch coming up, you might see a couple lefties that we opt with Nate [Eaton] and do that, with the goal being in mind, if we get a hot Jarren, then he\u2019s in there constantly because he can do a lot of damage.\u201d<\/p>\n Duran is one of the Red Sox\u2019s bigger trade chips by August 3. Several teams are looking for left-handed-hitting outfielders. The Houston Astros<\/a> are one team that comes to mind. However, he\u2019ll have to turn things around in July to raise his trade value. It is possible that teams would still look to acquire him for a change of scenery.<\/p>\n Boston Red Sox Look To Finish off Strong Homestand<\/p>\n After losing two out of three games to the Colorado Rockies<\/a> last month, things looked bleak for Boston. However, a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees<\/a> over the weekend changed the narrative.<\/p>\n After splitting the first two games with the Nationals, a win Wednesday gives them a 6-1 homestand. Who saw that coming after their struggles in Denver?<\/p>\n After this game, Boston heads back West. They opened a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels<\/a> in Southern California. They also have stops against the Chicago White Sox<\/a> and New York Mets<\/a>.<\/p>\n Is the postseason still a dream for the Red Sox? Maybe, but winning 6 out of 7 at home has them teetering on whether to buy or sell. Contreras is back in the lineup, and Boston needs to take advantage of his bat. They will likely be missing him with a suspension<\/a> of some kind that could be announced in the coming days. That might force Duran to play against left-handed pitching in his absence.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tScott Roche<\/a> Scott Roche covers college football, NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com and has three decades of sports writing, covering everything from college to professional sports. More about Scott Roche<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \t