This is EXACTLY what Red Sox fans wanted to hear...

This is exactly what Red Sox fans wanted to hear and what is supposed to be a very busy offseason to push this Red Sox team over the edge and get them to being a potential World Series candidate team. It seems like based on brand new information from a very credible Red Sox source, Alex Speer, that the Red Sox organization may be opening to not only making one but possibly two trades. For two outfielders that don't really have a spot on this team based off how they're constructed and also how they could be constructed following this offseason. I'm here to break down all of the moving parts and new quotes surrounding Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida and why this is exactly what all Red Sox fans desperately wanted to hear this offseason. We'll break down all of that on this episode of Red Sox Digest, so let's not waste any time. and get right to it, breaking down these brand new quotes from Alex Speer as he opened the door, not only opened the door, but kicked the door down for not just one, but potentially two Red Sox trades. And they both involve outfielders, potential outfielders for this Red Sox team, and two players specifically that simply cannot be a part of this Red Sox future if they want to not only cut some cap space and open some roster spots, But also just flat out improve and enhance their chances to be a championship contender not only next year, but for the years going forward. So the first quote from Alex Speer is this. With the trio in place for years, Duran and Yoshida reside in a familiar state of limbo. And then he would continue by saying, either can contribute, but the Sox are open to moving one. And you may be saying, why is this good news? Well, the reason being is because Jarren Duran, over the last two, three seasons, has simply regressed and continued to regress to the point where he has diminished all of his trade value, and it's gotten to the point where there's no way Craig Breslow and this Red Sox organization can continue to bet on the potential that he is going to improve. In return to the state of 2024, if you guys don't remember, 2024 was by far and away the best year for Jarren Duran. Not only are the underlying metrics across the board exponentially better in the sense of. A collective overall performance, but it was statistically in the sense of awards and just how he played. It was by far and away the best year of his career. He was named to the All-Star team in the AL. He won the AL MVP of the All-Star. Let me rephrase that. He won the MVP of the All-Star game, not just for the AL, but for the game in its entirety. You look at the underlying metrics, Patrick's both or all three batting. Base running and fielding run values were all above the 90th percentile. Yes, he still chased, whiffed, caved, and didn't walk at a high percentage, but he was right about league average in all of those major categories while being above league average in expected wOBA, expected batting average, expected slugging, average exit velocity, barrel percentage. All of these things, all of these major categories were far above really what we've been accustomed to seeing from Jarren Duran in the last two seasons. Especially the most recent one where Jarren Duran was simply the worst that we have seen him. And I hate saying that because Jason and I both, we have talked about Jarren Duran ad nauseam and how we wanted him to be the guy. And he has the potential to be the X factor on not only the Red Sox, but any championship level team because of the overall game that he plays. He can steal 30 bags, he can steal 30, or excuse me, he can steal 30 bags, he can hit 30 home runs, he can hit that around that 270, 285 number, and be a prolific option on the offensive end. And not just in the sense that, yeah, he's going to give you 30 home runs, but the idea that he can get on base by getting, actually hitting for a decent average, and once he gets on first base, he's a threat to steal second, he's a threat to steal third, and Those singles turn into doubles, those doubles turn into triples, those triples sometimes even turn into inside-the-park home runs, and that seems crazy to think about and actually say, but in its reality, that is who Jarren Duran is because of the prolific speed and the great ability to base run that he maintains and has maintained for the entirety of his major league career. Now, if you look at the underlying metrics, again, 7th in batting average this year, 5th Fifth in on-base percentage, seventh in OPS. His barrel percentage was 70%, but overall, just did not get the job done. He still has a year left of arbitration before he gets to the point where he becomes, or no, he's not a free agent until 2032, so he has another, what, three and a half, four years until he actually becomes an unrestricted free agent, which brings some value to him without a shadow of a doubt, but due to the regression that has been witnessed over the After the last two, two and a half seasons. There's not much actual trade value there outside of the fact that, yeah, he can steal 20 bags, he can hit 20 home runs, but he's going to give you a .230, if not lower batting average, and he's going to strike out and whiff a lot. He's not going to walk at all. And with that being said, another quote from Alex Speer, the Sox have flirted with dealing Duran for two years and will explore his trade market again this offseason. And I truly do believe that is the appropriate decision at this point. And again, like mentioned earlier, the 2024 season was phenomenal for Jaron Duran and all of Red Sox Nation and the organization and the fan base and everyone involved hoped to see that version of Jaron Duran again. But it's almost like they're chasing ghosts of 2024. That is from a National League executive. If I had to guess, it's probably the San Diego Padres because they have been trying to get their hands on Jaron Duran for years. The Red Sox turned them down year after year after year. And honestly, looking back, and I understand hindsight is 20-20, they absolutely should have made that deal. Now, if you look at the numbers, he has been qualified as a considered unlucky player, unlucky batter specifically. His average is expected to be .237. He did hit .207 this past year. Every ball in play in the BABIP, based on balls in play, actual stat, again. .295 this year expected to be .339 and then finally the balls hit 95 plus miles per hour 390 this year expected was 490. Overall just not considered the luckiest hitter in the world but just not the overall player in the sense of production and overall attitude it feels like because there were a few flare-ups this season involving Jarren Duran that we can all remember because they felt extremely impactful when they originally happened. It just, it feels like the tenure is over in Boston. Now that leaves us to the second name in the potential trades for the Red Sox dealing with outfielders, and that is Masataka Yoshida, as he has not been the healthiest player in the world, to say the absolute least, but if you look at the underlying metrics, they're not great either. Overall, he played in what? He played in not many games. He was injured for a vast majority of the season and... That resulted in, yes, a .746 OPS while batting .275, .274, but overall, he only played in what, 40, what is that, 87 games this past season. He was never really able to stay healthy, and when he is on the field, the defensive metrics are horrible. They can't really play him in the outfield because he doesn't have much of an arm. The speed, he doesn't have, and he is an outfielder. He can't play in the infield. The Sox are in a difficult situation when they have someone like Yoshida on their roster because they take away from a DH position that could be so impactful to their team and utilized with other big-name bats if they went out there and made a big move, if that roster spot was actually open or that position was actually open. But based off how things have really unraveled for Yoshida, it feels like the best decision for the Red Sox would to be moved on from him just like Jarren Duran. Another quote from Alex Speer, it feels like given the crowd of the 40-man roster and the desire to upgrade, it feels like it's likelier than not that Yoshida is not back with the Boston Red Sox, and honestly, that's a great thing, because yes, the average is there, but the overall power was not, and that's something you desperately want from the DH position, pointed out by Speer, Yoshida is a solid hitter, but his lack of power and In the absence of... of defensive value makes him a roster impediment and I 100% agree you can't really play him anywhere in the outfield and also the contract is tough he's going into the final year of his deal thankfully so you would be trading a rental season of Yoshida but it's at an 18 million dollar price tag and at what we are currently looking at in Masataka Yoshida yeah the average is going to be there but There's no defensive ability, and if it is there, it's extremely mediocre, and if you put him at the DH, he has no ability to hit for power unless it's to the pole side in Fenway Park where he's just barely getting around the pesky pole. So, that leaves me to ask you guys this question. How do you think the Red Sox should choose their outfield direction, and which direction should they actually go in? Should they try to go out there? And make a big move because Breslow says he thinks his team can win more than Eddie's 87 games. But with Duran and Yoshida on this roster, it doesn't seem possible. Now, if they move both of those players, they have the ability to go out there and replace them with a legitimate DH. Whether it's Suzuki, whether it's Sato, whether it's Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber, there's various names. But without this roster currently constructed with Anthony in left field, say Don in center and Willier in right, why actually go out there and bring back these two guys when you can go out and get a definitive DH that can produce a level of power that you have been missing at that position. Final quote from Spear, he can't be the reason the Sox fail to upgrade their offense. And I absolutely agree. Do not put your faith in this young man and just eat the fact that you have to pay him 18 million bucks for this final season. Go out there, make a trade involving him and Duran, or two separate trades involving both of those players, and go out there and make a big splash. Let me know down below your thoughts and opinions. A, trade Duran and keep Yoshida. B, move Yoshida and keep Duran. Or C, move them both. Let me know down below your thoughts and opinions, and I will see you guys on the next episode of Red Sox Dive