The Boston Red Sox entered their series against the Toronto Blue Jays on a bit of a hot streak. However, the Red Sox knew better to ground themselves in reality rather than rest on their laurels.
Boston would go on to sweep Toronto, outscoring the Blue Jays 18-9 over the three game set. But before the Red Sox earned any victories, outfielder Jarren Duran said the team got honest with themselves and re-focused on the goal at hand, via Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic.
“We had a little bit of a talk just to make sure, like, ‘Hey man, I know we played two tough teams, but we just gotta keep rolling,” Duran said. “Our season doesn't end just because we played two good teams and won. So we just got to keep rolling, and I was really proud of the way we played.”
“We just kept doing our thing, especially coming in so late and then sleeping and having to play again,” Duran continued. “But we did a really good job and I'm proud of this team.”
The Red Sox had taken two of three games from the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies in their two previous series coming into the Blue Jays matchup. Now on a five-game win streak and winners in eight of their last 10, Boston has moved their record to 40-35 on the year.
But even with their sudden rise, the Red Sox are still 10.5 games back of the first place Yankees in the AL East. They're only one game out of a Wild Card spot, meaning their playoff chase isn't futile.
Still, no one in Boston wants the team to get ahead of themselves. That's what the team's meeting entailed. The success is good, but an MLB season is a marathon, not a spring. For the Red Sox to be truly successful in 2024, they'll need to be consistent over the course of the entire year, not just a few opponents – no matter how good they are.
Their series against the Blue Jays proved that Boston has turned the corner and have found a winning recipe, at least for now. Jarren Duran is looking to ensure that that mentality and success becomes synonymous with the Red Sox for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
How Jarren Duran is boosting Red Sox playoff potential
After struggling his first two seasons in the majors, Duran proved he could be a staple in the Red Sox's lineup during the 2023 season. That success has carried over into the 2024 campaign, continuing Duran's streak of being a key component in Boston's offense.
Through 75 games in 2024, Duran is hitting .277 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 19 stolen bases. His batting average is down from .295 in 2023, but before the All-Star Break, the outfielder is already close to matching his career-high in home runs (eight), RBI (40) and stolen bases (24). Duran also already has 10 triples on the season, which leads the entire major leagues.
Consistently batting at the top of the lineup, Duran has transformed into Boston's table setter. He has already scored 50 runs on the season. If the Red Sox want to remain successful, they'll need him to continue getting on base and setting the tone for the rest of the lineup.
Jarren Duran and the Red Sox know it'll be a long time before they can call their 2024 campaign a success. But at the very least, their recent run has shown Boston to be a resilient squad still looking to make noise in a crowded AL East.
