Alex Cora, like many others, knows Jarren Duran had a strong spring training and a solid World Baseball Classic. That is why he expects his player to see as much time as possible in the Boston Red Sox outfield during 2026, along with four other teammates.
“We’re going to use everybody, and everybody has to be ready,” Cora told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. “Everybody’s going to benefit from the luxury that we have. We’ve got five good players.” The manager was referring to Duran, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Masataka Yoshida, hinting at a type of rotation.
It is not a common approach. Some fans reacted on X saying it would be difficult to manage. But with Duran in strong form, it is realistic to expect him to play close to 90 percent of the games in his outfield role and possibly reach another 155-plus game season.
Cora wants a more aggressive Red Sox
Cora’s plan for the Red Sox outfield is simple in concept. Keep players in rhythm. Do not waste it. Use them as much as possible while they are producing, then rotate others in to do the same. That idea becomes even more important with a player like Duran, who hit .400 during spring training.
“It’s just making sure they understand going into the season, this is who we are, this is what we have, and if they have any questions, come here. If all five get regular playing time, it’s going to be special, because all of them can change games in different ways,” Cora said.
Last season, Duran spent most of his time in left field, playing more than 130 games there. He also saw limited action in right field and fewer than 30 games in center. That flexibility could be key to Cora’s plan, with rotation among the same group to keep everyone involved while they are performing well.