Jarren Duran opens up about his mental health message
FORT MYERS, Fla. - This was not your typical Major League Baseball player's social media post.
The message wasn't new. But it was a reminder.
Jarren Duran's battle with mental health has been, and continues to be, a very real thing.
"I did it last year, but nobody really saw it," Duran told WEEI.com regarding the message attached to his wrist tape. "It’s just a personal thing to remind me of the stuff I have gone through mentally. Just saying “F*ck ‘em” they can’t win, I’m still here. So I write that on my right wrist. And then I write “I’m still alive,” because I went through some tough times when I didn’t think I would be here. But I’m still here, still fighting. That’s kind of a daily reminder to myself that if all things are going bad and I’m having a bad game, it will never be as bad as when I was going through that stuff.
"I did it as soon as we got it out of spring. I already planned on doing it. That’s why I wear that certain type of tape because you can write on it. But I did it from the beginning of the season. Nobody really recognized it. Sometimes I would write it higher on my wrist so it wouldn’t stick down as much when I put on my gloves, but I guess they got me when I wrote it down a little lower. I have no problem with it. I know a lot of people have reached out to me through Instagram saying how it is an inspiration to them. If they are reading this or hearing this, they are more than welcome to reach out to me because I know what they are going through and I support them."
The hand-written reminder. The t-shirts that now can be found on members of the Red Sox roster and coaching staff. And some different methods to approach each day. They are all steps in the right direction for Duran.
The Red Sox outfielder first revealed his struggles with mental health during a conversation with MassLive.com in August of 2022. A year later, he posted to Instagram, "Falling back into that place I fought so hard to get out of”.
Now, Duran explains he has found himself in a place where he is more equipped to deal with the inevitable bad days, with the acceptance of his challenges being part of the plan.
"There are always the negative people out there," he explained. "But the positives I have gotten from fans and teammates that I have talked to about it is greater than that. You just have to focus on the positives and take it one day at a time.
"I think I have learned myself and what has helped me, just going through it by myself. I write stuff down now. I write down a daily note what I’m looking forward to. And then when my day is over I write down what I’m looking forward to the next day. That’s when it used to hit me was after when everything was done and I’m just alone, especially when you have a bad game. It was like, alright, now I’m alone and I had a bad game. Now I write down, “I can’t wait to go into the cage and work on this.” It changes my mindset where I can’t wait until tomorrow so you’re not worrying about these other things. It changes my mind to think I can’t wait to go to the field tomorrow to work on my swing. It gets me happy and gives me a plan so my mind is not wandering. It gives me something to think about."
Friday served as a perfect example of how the process can lead to some good times, with the 27-year-old breaking off three hits (including an impressive pull-side home run) while displaying the kind of mobility he possessed before season-ending toe surgery last season.
"Before that game I was excited to work on some stuff with (Red Sox assistant hitting coach Ben Rosenthal) Rosie on hitting through the ball and not pulling off if there is a changeup or something. Then it came in the game where I hit through a changeup and I got a hit to the right side. I instantly went into Rosie and was like, ‘We worked on that this morning!” And then last night I wrote, “I can’t wait until tomorrow and work on the Trajekt (a pitching machine that is accompanied by video of pitchers)” because that thing always carves me up. It’s always a challenge.
"It’s usually just a thing that will pop in my head where I’m thinking I can’t wait to do that tomorrow."
It's still a one-step-at-a-time existence for Duran, both on and off the field. But judging by both the 27-year-old's actions and words, things seem to be moving in the right direction.
"We’re getting better every day," he said. "Some days it’s going to hit harder than others, but that is just part of the daily battle. Right now I have a good group of people around me. I have a good system I’m doing for myself. And I’m just happy to be here."