After an entire spring with rumors about selling, the Boston Red Sox have seemingly turned into prospective buyers for the MLB trade deadline. That’s what a 10-game winning streak right before the All-Star break will do.
But while the Red Sox have gained a lot of ground in the playoff race the past week and a half, they are still in third place of the American League East. And with the All-Star break timed during their winning streak, it wouldn’t be super shocking if the Red Sox cool off when the second half begins on Friday.
After falling back to the mean at least a little, the Red Sox could still become sellers in a couple weeks.
Due to that possibility, baseball pundits are speculating this week that outfielder Jarren Duran could be on the move. Duran is arguably Boston’s best asset for the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
One of the more popular rumored potential destinations for Durran this week has been the San Diego Padres. Let’s explore the possibility of Durran heading west to the National League by the end of the month.
Boston Red Sox-San Diego Padres Mock Trade
Boston Red Sox receive Padres No. 12 prospect and right-handed pitcher Henry Baez and Padres No. 15 prospect and right-handed pitcher Tyson Neighbors.
San Diego Padres receive outfielder Jarren Duran.
One proposed trade from Sportsnaut’s Matt Johnson pitched the Red Sox shipping Duran to the Padres for San Diego closer Robert Suarez and a couple prospects.
However, SI on Red Sox’ Jackson Roberts wasn’t a major advocate for that trade proposal.
“Not that the Red Sox should thumb their nose at Suarez, but it feels like they should be shooting higher than prospects and a reliever,” Roberts wrote. “Reading between the lines, it doesn’t seem like chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wants to move Duran unless he can land a controllable starting pitcher in return.”
In my trade proposal, Boston wouldn’t receive a MLB-level pitcher. But both Baez and Rodriguez are experiencing strong seasons at Double-A this season.
It’s also possible that the Red Sox could re-package one or both of the pitching prospects in another deal to land a MLB player.
“But while the Padres don’t necessarily have that pitcher on their roster, there’s still a world where the teams make a three-way trade, or the Red Sox quickly flip the Padres’ prospects into a deal with prospects of their own,” wrote Roberts.
By doing that, the Red Sox could hedge their bets, both adding and subtracting at the deadline during a season in which things could still go either way — a deep playoff run or fourth place AL East finish.
With Durran, the Padres would finally replace Jurickson Profar. It was the right decision not to re-sign the veteran outfielder because Profar received a PED suspension early this season.
But the Padres have still missed Profar’s projection in left field. Profar hit .280 with an .839 OPS, 24 home runs, 85 RBI and 94 runs in 158 games last season. Behind those numbers, he made his first All-Star appearance.
Duran is batting .258/.318/.431 with eight home runs, 50 RBI, 52 runs and 16 steals in 438 plate appearances during 2025.
In San Diego, though, Duran could see a decline in fantasy production. The Padres have registered 112 fewer runs scored than the Red Sox this season.