Jarren Duran is Boston's iron man

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, *click here. And* *subscribe* to get it regularly in your inbox.

After a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, the Red Sox get a day off on Thursday. And it’s doubtful anyone will enjoy that respite more than Jarren Duran.

Boston’s speedy leadoff man has started the first 50 games this season. Manager Alex Cora hasn’t offered him a game off, and that’s a good thing.

Duran doesn’t want one.

He is the first Red Sox player to start the first 50 games of a season since Dustin Pedroia in 2013.

Duran is one of 22 players in MLB who have started all of his team’s games so far this season and he ranks fourth in defensive innings in the outfield with 440.

“I love it,” Duran said. “It makes me feel like they can count on me to be in there every day and work hard every day. So I’m taking pride in being able to make my mark every game and do something for the team.”

In case you haven’t noticed, Duran has been doing it all lately. This was never on display more than on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, when he belted a game-tying homer in the sixth and stole home in the eighth.

Over his past eight games, Duran has a line of .344/.417/.813 with five doubles, two triples and two homers.

This season, Duran has also played the best defense of his career while alternating between left and center field. In fact, Duran is tied for third in MLB among outfielders with six outs above average and also ranks third in runs prevented with five.

Add in an MLB-leading eight triples and 11 stolen bases (tied for fifth in the American League) and you have the type of player a manager doesn’t like giving a day off to.

A few weeks back, Cora mentioned that he was challenging Duran to play every day. The 27-year-old hasn’t put up any resistance and isn’t likely to anytime soon.

“I'm going to try and go every day until AC tells me that he doesn't need me for the day,” Duran said. “But whatever the team needs, I'm going to do. I'm here for the boys.”

Could Duran become the first Red Sox player since Bill Buckner in 1985 to play all 162 games? There’s at least a chance.

“He's a strong kid, a good athlete and we’re going to keep going,” Cora said.

How is Duran feeling after starting his team’s first 50 games?

“I feel great,” he said. “I’m going out there every day. It’s baseball. You get those bumps and bruises, but you’ve just got to just fight through it and grind through it.”