Red Sox' Wilyer Abreu drops 2-word nickname for Jarren Duran

Seattle Mariners v Boston Red Sox - Source: Getty — Red Sox' Wilyer Abreu drops 2-word nickname for Jarren Duran - Source: Getty

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran has emerged as a fan favourite after his breakthrough year for the team in 2024. His work ethic has received high praise from fellow outfielder Wilyer Abreu.

Ahead of the Red Sox's rubber game in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, right fielder Wilyer Abreu shared an Instagram story featuring a picture from their training.

Jarren Duran was in the picture beside Abreu, and the latter had a two-word nickname for the All-Star outfielder.

"Barrel monster," Abreu captioned the story.

(Image source - Wilyer Abreu's Instagram)

Both Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu started the series decider on Wednesday. While both outfielders registered a hit in the game in their four plate appearances each, it was shortstop David Hamilton who came up clutch for the team.

Hamilton blasted a solo home run in the third inning of the game to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. Boston's pitching staff shut down the home side to clinch the series, improving to 10-10 for the season.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora reflected on Jarren Duran's plate appearances this season

Jarren Duran has been in the news since his admission about mental health earlier this month. While the Red Sox outfielder has received praise for his courage, he has not been able to perform to his standards this season.

In 19 games, Duran is 19-for-90 with a .235 average and one home run. His plate appearances have been erratic at times, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged it before Monday's 16-1 loss against the Rays in the series opener.

“All over the place,” Cora told reporters about Duran’s at-bats. “Sometimes patient, sometimes too aggressive. He’s getting into swing mode in certain at-bats and swinging and missing a lot. That’s the reality of it.”

The Red Sox are third in the American League East and are aiming to clinch a postseason berth after and underwhelming 2024. However, they will need Duran to rediscover his form to achieve their goal.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash