Burner Duran back from injury, plans to be faster in '24

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Already the fastest player on the Red Sox, Jarren Duran has already set in motion a plan to be even quicker this season.

First, Duran had to get back on the field. As the calendar flipped to March on Friday, Duran finally got a chance to play baseball again in his team’s 5-3 loss to the Twins.

Duran led off and started in left field in his first game action since Aug. 20, when his season ended abruptly with a left big toe injury after he climbed the wall in unsuccessful pursuit of a home run at Yankee Stadium.

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Friday was basically a chance for Duran to reacclimate himself to game action, and he went 0-for-2 while handling all three of his chances in left field.

But it was during his in-game media session that Duran elaborated on his plan to maximize his footspeed even as he comes off surgery.

“I’m just working on my legs and staying in a straight line, because everybody knows I run like a lizard,” said Duran. “So trying to make it more efficient the way I run, that will also help my toe with impact and stuff like that, but it’s just gonna clean me up and make me hopefully faster.”

A faster Duran would be bad news for opposing pitchers and catchers trying to keep him from stealing, not to mention the many outfielders who were victims of his hustle doubles last season.

“You know how track runners run? They have that clean form,” Duran said. “I’m just kind of working on that. The more times I can hit the ground, the faster I’m going to be.”

Playing in 102 games last season, Duran was successful in 24 of his 26 stolen-base attempts.

Red Sox third-base coach/baserunning instructor Kyle Hudson has been working hard with Duran on perfecting his modified form.

“That will be good,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We saw a window [to make the adjustments], and he’s been putting in the work and Huddy feels like this is going to help him stealing bases. That would be awesome.”

As for being back in a game again, it took Duran just a bit to feel in rhythm.

“I mean, I was pretty nervous to be honest,” said Duran. “Especially after the surgery, and I feel like I haven't played in forever, but it was awesome to be out there.”

Originally, the plan was for Duran to DH on Friday. But the training staff green-lighted him to play the field in light of all the hours of work he had been doing on the back fields.

“I’ve been swinging every day, chasing balls every day and shagging every day, so no problems,” said Duran.

“It felt great. I didn’t really feel [the toe] at all,” Duran said.

For Duran, the biggest adjustment is just being back in spikes for hours at a time.

“It’s just a progression to be on my feet more and more. That’s all we’re really doing, is building me up to be on my feet all the time,” said Duran.

It remains to be seen which outfield position Duran start at once the season starts. On Friday, Ceddanne Rafaela was in center, with Duran flanked to his left and Wilyer Abreu stationed in right.

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That is Boston’s young outfield, but not necessarily the trio who will break camp.

It is uncertain if Rafaela -- MLB Pipeline’s No. 76 prospect -- will make the team. If he doesn’t, Duran will patrol center and try to build on the improvements he made last season. Duran said he would also be fine playing left.

“I told myself in the offseason, 'I'm going to be ready to just be an all-around better baseball player,'” Duran said. “That’s what I came into camp thinking, because Rafaela is a stud, Abreu is an absolute stud -- and wherever they need me is what I’m going to do for the team. It’s about the team, it’s not about me. Where they need me, I’m going to play.”

After a long layoff, Duran was thrilled with just the simplicity of being able to play again on Friday.