There’s a lot of ways to read the news that came down from the Red Sox on Tuesday, as the team announced they and outfielder Jarren Duran have agreed on a one-year deal worth $7.7 million, avoiding arbitration with the 2024 All-Star Game MVP.

Boston held an $8 million option on Duran for 2026, but they elected to negotiate a new contract instead.

The deal includes up to $75,000 in bonuses based on plate appearances, a mark he’s sure to hit as the 29-year-old has only missed seven games over the past two seasons.

That is unless Duran is relegated to a reduced role for his sixth year in the majors, which is a high possibility given how crowded the Red Sox outfield is at the moment.

With Ceddanne Rafaela’s incredible play in center field earning him his first career Gold Glove, and with Wilyer Abreu winning his second Gold Glove in only his second season in the bigs, that just leaves one outfield spot open for everyday players. And with Roman Anthony spending 36 games in right during his rookie season, logic would suggest that the AL Rookie of Year finalist would grab that last spot in the everyday lineup, keeping the designated hitter spot open for matchup flexibility for righty-lefty scenarios.

After finishing eighth in AL MVP voting in 2024, Duran took a step back in 2025, batting just .256 with an on-base percentage of .332, slugging .442 with an OPS of .774. And while he led the league in triples (13) for the second straight season and knocked in 9 more RBI than the season prior (84), his 169 strikeouts were a career high.

For the baseball nerds that know how wins above replacement works, he went from an 8.7 in 2024 to a 4.7 in 2025. That mark still looks good on paper, but losing four points from his WAR year-to-year tells you everything about the drop off he had just one year removed from his breakout.

All of that’s to say - Duran is over qualified to be a platoon outfielder. There’s plenty of teams around the majors that Duran could start for tomorrow. And as he’s set to make less than $8 million in 2026, it’s an attractive contract to take on for a team that might need that last missing piece in the outfield to make a playoff push. Bring in Duran on a one-year prove it deal, and hope he balls out at the level he did in 2024 to set-up a potential big payday for himself ahead of the 2027 season and beyond.

As I’ve written about before, the Red Sox are in desperate need of more pitching depth in their starting rotation. And with Lucas Giolito possibly moving on this offseason, their need for a true No. 2 starter has grown even more than it was before. Duran is someone who was rumored to be a part of deadline deals for both Twins starter Joe Ryan and Padres starter Dylan Cease. Would Minnesota be willing to re-engage on a trade discussion with Boston that involves Duran and others being shipped to the midwest in return for the final two years of Ryan’s team-friendly contract?

Stay locked in to Roundtable for all the latest as this situation unfolds.

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.