The Philadelphia Phillies are in the midst of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park against the Boston Red Sox. Not only is it a good litmus test against a top AL contender that coming into Monday, won 11 of their last 13 games, but it gives them an up close and personal look at their star outfielder Jarren Duran.
Duran's name has been circulating in trade talks recently with only days to go until the trade deadline takes place on July 31. He's a big name to consider, but the Phillies have shown eagerness in pursuing the exciting outfielder come deadline time. He's a rare and exciting player in today's day and age. The combination of speed and power presents the Phillies with a potential game-changing threat in the middle of their order and an obvious upgrade in the outfield.
Phillies Rumors: Jarren Duran could land in Philly's lap at trade deadline
According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Red Sox have discussed trade talks with multiple teams (subscription required) regarding the 28-year-old. They've stated they are not actively shopping him, but Boston is keeping their options open by at least listening to respective offers. With the abundance of outfielders the Red Sox have, Duran may ultimately just be the odd man out.
Bowden explains that both the Phillies and the San Diego Padres would love to land the outfielder for a respectable package in return. As for what the return will look like for the Red Sox, it could include starting pitching and possibly a first baseman. The Phillies may not necessarily have a first baseman to offer, but starting pitching is their biggest strength both at the major league level and in the minors. Philadelphia does have the prospects to do it and is very much capable of outbidding other buyers.
According to ESPN, Duran also ranks as the third-best trade deadline target across MLB. Given how he's performed the last two seasons, the buzz surrounding him is warranted. Per FanGraphs, Duran's 6.8 fWAR was the third-highest among all outfielders in 2024, behind only Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. He hasn't replicated the same success in 2025, but he's still hitting with a .756 OPS and a 1.7 fWAR. He also has 25 doubles, 10 triples, 16 stolen bases, nine homers and 51 RBIs through 101 games.
This trade deadline for the Phillies is a monumental one for the club. They have pieces of the roster moving on after this year with no current guarantee of replacement. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made comments of primarily focusing on bullpen help as the deadline nears, but that could have just been smoke and mirrors with the chance to strike for a player of Duran's caliber.