Duran adopts 'no days off' attitude amid All-Star campaign

CINCINNATI -- There’s no fooling Jarren Duran anymore.

But Alex Cora still gave it the college try after Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The Red Sox skipper brought the emerging outfielder star and leadoff anchor of Boston’s lineup into his office to discuss a matter unrelated to the lineup for Saturday. And just casually, Cora told Duran that he was getting his first off day of 2024 on Saturday against Cincinnati.

"I joked with him last night and called him into the office and said, 'You've got an off-day [Saturday],'" Cora said. "... He knows [it's a joke]."

Indeed, Duran was in the starting lineup and batting leadoff again, and for good reason. One of Boston’s best bats, Duran scored the go-ahead run on a dash home from third in the eighth before robbing a game-tying home run in the ninth in the 4-3 win. He's slashing .283/.348/.478 with seven homers, 34 RBIs and a Major League-leading 10 triples.

On Friday he joined select company, becoming just the fourth Red Sox player with at least seven homers, 10 triples and 21 doubles in the first 76 games, and the first since Nomar Garciaparra in 2003. The other two: Babe Ruth (1918) and Buck Freeman (1903).

Duran, coming off a breakout 2023 campaign, has become one of the most reliable players to Cora through his work and preparation off the field.

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“He works so hard and he now understands what he needs to do to play every day, to keep his energy the way he should,” Cora said. “[Third-base coach Kyle Hudson] and him have great communication, as far as the defensive work that he needs to put in to be ready on a daily basis. The hitting group with him has been great. There's a lot of good stuff going on with him.

“The preparation is second to none. His pregame and postgame, he goes 4-for-4 and they sit down and they break down the at-bats. Did we execute the plan, regardless of the results? Same thing when he goes 0-for-4, did we execute the plan and sometimes the 0-for-4 doesn't mean that he didn't. It's just that he got beat, right. And he's driving the ball now, hitting the ball all over the place. The at-bats are really good.”

Cora is hoping Duran earns his just rewards in July when rosters are announced for the July 16 All-Star Game in Texas.

“We'll see in a month,” Cora said. “I mean that's going to be fun, I believe, that Sunday when they announce the All Stars is a special one. And if this happens [for him], it's going to be great. It's going to be great."

Personal accolades aside, what Cora has seen from Duran as a leader is an even bigger deal. What Duran has shown Cora is remarkable growth and maturity since those frustrating moments in July 2022 when he lost a fly ball in the sky and it turned into an inside the park grand slam in the 28-5 loss to the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

“He's strong, athletic. He takes care of his body, and I feel that for how much we want to win this year, with the group that we have, and we're doing a good job, this is going to set up the organization for the future,” Cora said. “I like having a guy that when those kids make it here, they look up, they know Raffy’s Raffy [Rafael Devers], and we love Raffy the way he is.

“So I want to take away from his plate, kind of like you just play and lead by example. But as a group, we need somebody that people look up to right. Who better than your leadoff guy that plays every day, right. And he's been great in the clubhouse. He's been open about his situation the last few years. So this is kind of like, I'm trying to find the leader for this organization that is going to help us not only this year, but he's gonna help everybody.”