Jarren Duran Trails Just Mookie Betts In This Category For Red Sox Now

Jarren Duran Trails Just Mookie Betts In This Category For Red Sox Now originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox faced off against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, and Jarren Duran was in the leadoff spot.

Duran hit a leadoff home run off Spencer Strider. It was the 10th leadoff home run of his career, tying him for the second most leadoff home runs in Red Sox history, per Rob Bradford. He tied Jacoby Ellsbury and now trails only Mookie Betts for the most leadoff home runs in team history.

Duran has hit leadoff 29 times this season. It was his first leadoff home run of the year. He hit four leadoff home runs last year, three the year before and two in 2022. Betts hit 20 leadoff home runs in his time with the Red Sox.

Betts had more opportunities than Duran as a leadoff hitter, however. He hit leadoff 1,081 times in six seasons with the team. Duran has not even played in 600 career games. Duran has hit leadoff in over half of his games as a big leaguer, but he will likely drop down the batting order when Roman Anthony is healthy again.

Duran was an All-Star in 2024. He was an extra-base hit machine that year, leading all of baseball in doubles and triples. This season, he is struggling, but has looked much better in his last seven games.

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