Boston Red Sox center fielder Jarred Duran started elevating his game last year, batting .295/.346/.482 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs in 102 games. This year, he made American League history during their 8-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on June 2.
Duran faced a 3-0 pitch from Miami's J.T. Chargois in the top of the eighth inning. The outfielder sent the ball to the right-center stands for his tenth home run this season. In addition to extending the Red Sox's lead by five runs, that strike made him the first American League player and second in MLB history to have 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 home runs, and 20 stolen bases before the All-Star break.
As Red Sox beat writer J.P. Long pointed out, Jose Reyes was the first player to register that stat line before the break, doing it in 2008 while in his second stint with the New York Mets. Duran leads the league in doubles (23) and triples (10) while successfully stealing 21 bases in 84 games.
That was Jarren Duran's 100th hit and 10th HR of the season.
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) July 3, 2024
He is the first American League player ever to record all of the following before the All-Star break:
- 100 hits
- 10 triples
- 10 HR
- 20 stolen bases
The only NL player to do that is José Reyes (2008).
The home run against Miami brought Duran's hitting averages to .287/.351/.497 in 348 at-bats. Likewise, Duran registered a hit in 18 of his last 19 games. Going yard during the Red Sox's first game this month continues his solid hitting after averaging .364/.420/.636 in June.
More importantly, the Red Sox are on a two-game winning streak after losing three of their last four games. They are in the thick of things in the AL Wild Card race, just half a game behind sixth-seed Kansas City Royals.
-Lance Fernandez