CINCINNATI — Jarren Duran has started all 76 games the Red Sox have played this season.
“I joked with him last night. I called him into the office (after Friday’s game) and I say, ‘Hey, you’ve got an off day tomorrow,’” manager Alex Cora said Saturday here at Great American Ball Park. “He’s like, ‘(Expletive) that.’ He knows it.”
Duran of course is in the lineup again Saturday for Game No. 77. He’s playing left field and batting leadoff. The Red Sox and Reds will play at 4:10 p.m.
“You know what? He works so hard and he now understands what he needs to do to play every day, to keep his energy the way he should,” Cora said.
Cora challenged Duran at the beginning of the season to play every day.
“This is going to set up the organization for the future,” Cora said.
Cora said he wants the top young prospects — a group that includes Baseball America Top 100 prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel — to have someone to look up to when they arrive in the big leagues.
“As a group, we need somebody that people look up to. Who better than your leadoff guy that plays every day?” Cora said. “And he’s been great in the clubhouse. He’s been open about his situation (with anxiety) the last few years. I’m trying to find a leader for this organization that’s going to help us not only this year but he’s going to help everybody in the future.”
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Cora said Duran’s preparation is “second to none.” Duran is 28-for-77 (.364 batting average) with a .432 on-base percentage, .636 slugging percentage, 1.068 OPS, four homers, five doubles, one triple, 11 RBIs, 19 runs, 10 walks, 17 strikeouts and eight steals in 18 games during June.
“It’s pregame and postgame,” Cora said. “He goes 4-for-4 and they sit down and they break down the at-bats. Did we execute the plan regardless of results? Same thing when he goes 0-for-4. Did we execute the plan? Sometimes the 0-for-4 doesn’t mean that he didn’t. It’s just that he got beat. He’s driving the ball now. He’s hitting the ball all over the place. The at-bats are really good. We’ll see in a month. That’s going to be fun I believe. That Sunday when they announce the All-Stars, it’s a special one. And if this happens, it’s going to be great.”
Cora said Duran’s physicality, athleticism and strength make him able to play every day.
“He’s such a strong kid,” Cora said. “He takes care of his body. The training staff, they haven’t even questioned the decision of playing him every day. They know. So we’ve just gotta adjust stuff pregame and in the cage and all that. But so far, so good.”
