ARLINGTON, TEXAS — All-Star home runs are not created equally. Some mean more than others. And sometimes they have nothing to do with the scoreboard.
Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox hit an especially meaningful one in MLB’s 94th All-Star Game Tuesday night. Sure, the two-run blast in his first All-Star at-bat broke a tie and sent the American League to a 5–3 win. But the bigger meaning was evident on the words written on the white athletic tape wrapped around his wrists as he hoisted the Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP Award, a crystal bat named for another Boston outfielder.
On his right wrist, next to a cross, in ballpoint ink were written the words, “Still alive.” On the left, also next to a hand-drawn cross, were two words that in harsher language equated to “Forget ‘em.”
Duran has emerged from the darkness of battling mental health issues in recent years to become a very public advocate of mental health. He started writing those messages on his wrists last season. “Still alive” is a reminder to himself that he is still here after doubting if that would even be possible, and that a bad game is nothing compared to what he went through. The explicit version of “Forget ‘em” reminds him not to allow the doubters and haters to pierce his confidence and self-worth.
The same player who hit .219 in his first two seasons in the big leagues, falling into bouts of anger and darkness, hit .295 last year and is hitting .284 this year with double digits in doubles, triples, homers and steals—one of only a dozen players ever with a first-half quadruple-double and the first since Jose Reyes in 2008.
And now: the All-Star Game MVP and recognition from Red Sox manager Alex Cora that he is one of the leaders and core pieces of the next championship Boston team. A night that began as the national introduction of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes ended with Duran and his advocacy for mental health taking the national spotlight.
Asked if the MVP award proved something to himself about being the best of the best, Duran replied, “You know me. That's not how I think about myself. So, I'm definitely not thinking I'm the best of the best. I'm a guy that keeps my head down and just works hard. I don't like to think of myself better than anybody else. So, I'm just here to work hard. There's so many good players in this league. I'm just thankful that I can play against these guys.”
Duran’s openness about sharing his battle with mental health has encouraged others to reach out to him in gratitude. He welcomes the responses because he understands what many of them are experiencing. His story already has had a major impact. It just got bigger with his first swing in an All-Star Game.
“I mean, All-Star Game, first home run, All-Star Game MVP … it is a first,” he said. “And I'm just very thankful. It's hard to put into words. It won't hit me until I try to go to sleep tonight. Who knows if I'll be able to sleep tonight.”
