Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran has been the poster boy for durability this season, having played in all 109 games.
But Duran gave the Red Sox quite the injury scare in Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field that made it seem like he might finally have to miss a game.
Duran clutched at his right side after he grounded out to end the third inning, but stayed in the game. He then had his at-bat interrupted in the seventh inning when Red Sox manager Alex Cora and a member of the team's training staff came out to check on him after he winced in pain and grabbed at his side again. But Duran talked his way into finishing the at-bat and the game.
Cora addressed Duran's injury following the loss and despite the speedy outfielder clearly being bothered by something, it seems the skipper plans on penciling Duran into the lineup for the series finale against the Rangers on Sunday.
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"He's OK. He felt something on his side and in one of his swings," Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. "(Head trainer) Brandon (Henry) just checked on him, get treatment tomorrow and he should be ready to go."
Duran turned in a 1-for-5 performance at the plate as he reached on an infield single in the fifth. He struck out to end the aforementioned at-bat in the seventh and struck out in a big spot an inning later against Rangers closer Kirby Yates with the bases loaded.
It was in August last season that Duran had his breakout campaign come to a premature end. He suffered a toe injury, which required surgery, at Yankee Stadium after scaling the wall in center in pursuit of a home-run ball.
Perhaps Cora will look to play it safe and try to get Duran a day off for the first time this season even though the Red Sox are trying to stay in the playoff picture. But he'll probably get some pushback from Duran, who seems determined to grind through whatever he is dealing with.
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