In mid-April, the Boston Red Sox played the Twins in Minneapolis. It wasn’t Boston’s best day, as Minnesota held them scoreless and secured a 6-0 win. But it wasn’t the visiting team’s poor performance that filled the news. Rather, it was an inappropriate gesture to one of the home supporters.
The incident took place in the fifth inning. Jarren Duran flipped off a fan sitting behind first base as he returned to the dugout after a groundout. The atmosphere at Target Field grew tense. At first, it seemed like Duran lost his nerve as the Red Sox greatly struggled.
But when the game concluded, Duran explained.
Turned out, the fan wasn’t just criticizing Duran’s performance. He targeted something deeply personal for Boston’s superstar. An inner demon he’s been fighting and conquering. And while he’s been winning the battle, some comments are still triggering.
Is it an excuse for his gesture? No.
“Yeah, somebody just told me to kill myself,” Duran said after the game. “I’m used to it at this point. Things happen. I’m gonna flip somebody off if they say something to me, but it is what it is. I shouldn’t react like that. That kind of stuff is still kind of triggering. It happens.” It’s another chapter in a lifelong journey—one he’s shared publicly to encourage others to seek help and not suffer alone. His message is clear: Don’t sit in the darkness alone.
Two years ago, the Red Sox outfielder opened up about his struggles with mental health in a Netflix documentary, The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox, that aired last summer. The California native was drafted by Boston in 2018.
After developing his game and eventually shining in the minor leagues, he was invited to the Red Sox’s spring training in 2020. A year later, Duran made his MLB debut. He transformed himself into one of the top hitters in the minors; he was also labeled as one of the majors’ top prospects.
When he first suited up for Boston, nobody was surprised.
Dealing with pressure
Fans had high hopes for Duran. There was excitement. A promising future for a famous franchise that has been waiting for another World Series title since 2018. Thousands of kids dream about making it to the best baseball league in the world. Duran has done it.
Yet, the initial joy soon turned into sorrow.
Then anxiety. Then Depression.
Duran is a former infielder, but when he got called up to the majors, he switched to the outfield. The change and adaptation required an asset that proved to be tremendously precious in professional sports: time. The highest level is a cutthroat scenario with a line of players waiting for their chance. The formula is simple – overtime, if you don’t perform, you’re out.
The jump from the minors to the majors was challenging for Duran, and the pressure to achieve perfection started slowly sneaking up on him.
“I remember when I was going through it, and you start losing a couple of games, and you’re not doing well, it feels like the world is kind of creeping in on you,” said Duran. In 2021 and 2022, he was walking through a deep valley, dealing with the lowest lows of his life. Eventually, the darkness swallowed every light, making Duran feel lost. He didn’t see a way out and wanted to end his life.
“To this day, I think God just didn’t let me take my own life because I seriously don’t know why the gun didn’t go off. I took it as a sign of, ‘I might have to be here for a reason,’ so that’s when I started to look at myself in the mirror after the gun didn’t go off,” Duran said in the documentary. He sought help and started getting better. As his mental health improved, his game naturally followed.
Breakthrough season
In 2023, he became consistent, and his performance started going uphill, earning him a regular spot in the lineup. He played in 102 games and hit .295 with 40 RBI and 24 stolen bases. His breakout season came in 2024 – Duran recorded multiple career highs, as we tallied 21 home runs, 111 runs, 75 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases. He hit at .285. His fantastic numbers earned him a spot in the All-Star Game, where he was named the MVP after hitting a home run that gave the American League game-winning runs. After the regular season concluded, the outfielder finished eighth in the MVP voting.
