Jarren Duran strengthens All-Star case after first career walk-off hit

Jarren Duran continues to be the Boston Red Sox' best all-around player. And the way his season's going, he will also be a first-time All-Star.

Duran added clutch hitting to his resume Monday night, as the Red Sox walked off with the win over the Toronto Blue Jays off his bat in the 11th inning. He enters Tuesday second in the American League in hits (96), first in doubles (23), first in triples (10), fourth in stolen bases (20), and 12th in OPS (.843).

On top of that, Duran has played solid defense, ranking 19th among all outfielders in "Ultimate Zone Rating" at 2.3 runs saved above average (via Fangraphs). But if the eye test is more your thing, the kid has a penchant for the highlight-reel catch, even on Monday night.

This all adds up to a 3.4 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) for Duran, which ranks eighth in the major leagues. No joke. Duran has the same WAR as Mookie Betts and isn't far behind Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani. He's been that good.

The Red Sox were quick to push Duran's All-Star candidacy after the win on Monday night. As far as fan voting, the smart money is still on Rafael Devers, who is fifth in the AL in OPS (.910). But Duran clearly has a case to be selected as a reserve.

Duran may not have the power of the top hitters in baseball (seven home runs), but he's third in the league in extra-base hits (40), runs the bases at a high level, and provides solid fielding. His all-around contributions have made for a sneaky-excellent 2024 campaign, and one deserving of an All-Star nod.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

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