Have the Boston Red Sox seen the last of outfielder Jarren Duran in their clubhouse?
The rumors are flying fast and furious as Monday's 6 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Among the most curious trade candidates is Duran, who's hitting a career-low .200 this season.
Yes, he was an All-Star in 2024, when he led the majors with 48 doubles and 14 triples.
And yes, he has 14 home runs in 104 games this year, including his solo blast in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As a result, it's sounding like Boston isn't quite ready to part with the 29-year-old as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow scrapes the trade market for a shortstop and a catcher.
"The Boston Red Sox, who had resisted trade overtures for outfielder Jarren Duran in the past, now are expected to trade him this winter," USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Sunday.
However Masslive.com's Sean McAdam believes it's time for the club and Duran to part ways.
"It’s quite noteworthy that while the Red Sox aggressively looked to lock up a number of their younger players (Roman Anthony, Brayan Bello, Ceddanne Rafaela, Kristian Campbell), they never once approached Duran and his representative with an extension offer. Their unwillingness to commit to him speaks volumes," McAdam wrote Sunday.
"Days before the trade deadline, the Red Sox are in the market for a bat, and one option would be to find a right-handed hitter to platoon with Duran in left. That hardly can be seen as a vote of confidence," McAdam continued.
"The logical thing to do might be to include Duran in a deadline deal for a more useful bat. But Duran’s value has sunk to an all-time low and the return would be minimal," McAdam noted.
"In short, the relationship between Red Sox and Duran looks like it’s come to an end. Problem is, neither party is sure how to handle the final step," McAdam concluded.
The Red Sox selected Duran in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft and he made his big-league debut three years later.
At times, he has flashed elite speed (at least 24 stolen bases in three of the last four years) and exceptional ball-to-bat ability (a combined 89 doubles, 27 triples and 37 home runs in 2024 and 2025).
But Duran is on his way to a third straight season with at least 160 strikeouts (126 and counting this year) and remains a polarizing figure both on and off the field.
The Red Sox have a good thing going: a five-game winning streak while going 23-3 over their last 26 games. It's possible Duran won't be around to see how the 2026 season ends in Boston.