Red Sox Struggle, Duran's Slump

0:00On May 1st, the Boston Red Sox are off to a rough start in the 2026 season, sitting at 12 wins and 19 losses. That's the worst record in the AL East and second worst in the American League. Just ahead of the Houston Astros, ownership fired manager Alex Cora and some staff before may even hit, with pitching and hitting both falling flat. Only two guys are holding up the offense so far. Wiley are a brave and new catcher Wilson Contreras, both with OPS over 716. Contreras leads the pack at 861, with seven home runs and 20 RBIs. Everyone else, from Trevor's story to Roman Anthony and Sid Ann Raffiella, is struggling big time. Take Jaren Duran, who's been a star since bursting out in 2024, with a war of 8.7, slashing 2.85 over 4. 92. Last year he drove in 84 runs. But this season, the left he's batting just 170, with one homer and an OPS of 481.

1:00He's hitless in his last four games, even in the lead off spot. The weird part, Duran still hits 286 with runners in scoring position by goal times. But with bases empty, or just a runner on first, he's at 136 or worse. The socks keep shuffling him around, hoping for that spark. If Duran heats up, he could lift this talented lineup out of the cellar, especially with Houston coming to Fenway for three games starting Friday. That's the story for today. Boston Red Sox News Today, driven by AI.