Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason to this point.
Most recently, Kansas City Royals beat reporter Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that Boston’s current asking price is “too high” for the Royals, but that they thought the Royals could make a play for him.
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“I think they can,” Rogers wrote when asked about Duran. “I’ve heard that right now, the price the Red Sox are asking for is too high for the Royals to feel comfortable about it. But we’ll see how that shifts throughout the winter. The two teams match up on paper. The Royals want an outfielder who can add to their offense, which the Red Sox have in Duran or Wilyer Abreu. Boston wants Major League-ready starting pitching. The Royals have that.”
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter pitched a mock trade that arguably would work for Boston.
“To KC: OF Jarren Duran,” Reuter wrote. “It’s no secret the Royals need offensive help after finishing 26th in the majors with 651 runs scored, and the outfield is far and away the most obvious area for a potential impact addition….To BOS: LHP Kris Bubic, C Carter Jensen. With an abundance of outfield talent, there is a high likelihood one of Duran or Wilyer Abreu is traded this offseason, and flipping them for pitching talent is the logical move.
“With the Red Sox in win-now mode, they could prioritize MLB talent over prospects, and 2025 All-Star Kris Bubic would be a welcome addition to a staff that has already added Sonny Gray. A rotator cuff strain cut his breakout season short, but he is expected to be ready for Opening Day. Since Bubic is only controllable for one more year, it will take more than just a one-for-one swap, and catcher Carter Jensen could bridge the gap as a MLB-ready bat who had a .941 OPS with three home runs and 13 RBI in 69 plate appearances as a September call-up.”
Jensen is a 22-year-old catcher with 20 games of big league experience. Over that stretch, he slashed .300/.391/.550 with three homers and 13 RBIs last season. In the minors he slashed .290/.377/.501 with 20 homers and 76 RBIs in 111 games. He would be a cost-controlled, long-term fit to pair with Carlos Narváez.
Bubic is 28 years old and was an All-Star in 2025. The lefty had a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts for the Royals. If you add that sort of production to a rotation that already has Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, and Sonny Gray, Boston would be cooking.
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