Jarren Duran caps off stellar 2024 campaign with eighth place finish in the AL MVP voting
During the 2024 campaign, Jarren Duran took his game to another level. The Red Sox outfielder was a human highlight reel and one of the teams best hitters. Last week, he received national recognition for his play, finishing eighth in the AL MVP voting.Â
In 160 games, Duran set career highs in home runs with 21, RBI with 75, and stolen bases with 34. He led the league in doubles, triples, and plate appearances. Although the Red Sox missed the postseason, Duran finally lived up to his high expectations and showed he could be a building block for the future.Â
While Duran was unable to finish in the top five, coming in eighth is an impressive step forward. The players who finished in front of him were Bobby Witt Jr., Juan Soto, Gunnar Henderson, Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Tarik Skubal. Aaron Judge was the overall winner.Â
Although Duran made headlines with his bat, he was also stellar defensively. He continued to improve his highlight reel with jaw-dropping catches while recording 12 assists. The former seventh-round pick also turned two double plays, which was a career-high.
As the California native prepares for his fifth season in the majors, he is in a much different place than a year ago. His resume now includes an All-Star game appearance, an All-Star game MVP award, and a top-ten MVP finish. That is not bad for a player who is only 28 years old and still seems to be improving.
Due to his spectacular 2024 season, Duran is under more pressure than ever before. However, it is a situation he should thrive in as the Red Sox outfielder has shown he can make adjustments and lead a team. Even though the roster is expected to undergo significant changes in the coming weeks, Duran will remain a vocal part of the offense.
Many in Boston and around the league are looking forward to how Duran follows up on the best season of what looks to be a very promising career.Â
