The Clubhouse: Red Sox outfielder’s battles at heart of new Netflix show

Jarren Duran has spoken out about his mental health struggles before, but in the new Netflix show chronicling the team’s 2024 season, the Red Sox outfielder provides a frightening account of …

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At one point midway through the show’s runtime, Jarren Duran compares the existence of a big league player to that of a zoo animal.

“We’re in this big ole’ cage,” the Red Sox outfielder says. “People are trying to throw popcorn at you, get a picture with you, get your attention, scream your name.”

Yet for all the fame and fortune that many ballplayers enjoy, “The Clubhouse: A Year With The Red Sox” makes a concerted effort to drive a simple point home.

At the end of the day, these players, coaches and staffers are all human.

Over its eight-episode run, the new Netflix series — which was filmed throughout the 2024 Red Sox season and will officially debut on Tuesday — takes fans behind the proverbial glass and provides an unprecedented look at life in the big leagues. Director Greg Whiteley brings viewers into the dugout for some of the biggest moments of the season, but also into the clubhouse and away from the ballpark for the small human interactions that fans never see.

We see the moment manager Alex Cora informs rookie Ceddanne Rafaela he’d made the Opening Day roster, along with a montage of others who didn’t make the cut. We see starting pitcher Brayan Bello anguish over being separated from his family, who were experiencing visa troubles and couldn’t join him in Boston. We see the joyful moment where journeyman reliever Cam Booser, who had experienced every form of adversity you could possibly imagine, learned his big league dream was finally coming true. We follow chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to his sons’ Little League game, a brief respite amid a job that’s often all-consuming.

But the heart and soul of the series is Duran.

Prominently featured throughout, “The Clubhouse” delves deep into Duran’s journey and paints a picture of a talented yet flawed individual consumed with self doubt. The show pays particularly close attention to his early struggles, his complicated relationship with his father and the mental health challenges he’s endured along the way.

The highlight of the series is Episode 4, titled “Still Alive,” which explores the darkest times of Duran’s life. Much of the episode covers ground that Duran has spoken publicly about before, but at one point Duran reveals that during his lowest moment he nearly took his own life.

“I got to the point where I was sitting in my room, I had my rifle, and I had a bullet, and I pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked but nothing happened,” Duran said. “To this day I think God just didn’t let me take my own life because I seriously don’t know why it didn’t go off.

“I took it as a sign that I might have to be here for a reason,” he continued.

Duran came out the other side and began to turn things around, but his story remains complicated. The series covers his rise to major league stardom, including his MVP performance in the All-Star Game, while also addressing the August incident where he was suspended two games for directing a homophobic slur at a fan in the crowd. The show pulls no punches in laying out the severity of Duran’s mistake and makes no attempt to let him off the hook.

Reflecting on the incident later the outfielder said the part he regrets most is hurting others.

“I got messages on Instagram from kids that were like I know you didn’t mean that word in a bad way but it kind of hurt my feelings, and it was like a kid,” Duran said. “Seeing that I was like, damn, I let that kid down.”

Ultimately there’s no happy ending for Duran or the 2024 Red Sox, who fade down the stretch and fall short of their goal of reaching the playoffs. The grind of a season goes on day after day until eventually it just ends, and everyone involved is left with an empty feeling and a longing for next year.

But with this offseason’s big moves, including the Garrett Crochet acquisition and Alex Bregman signing, the show ends on a hopeful note. For the Red Sox life goes on, even if there won’t be a Netflix crew around filming whatever happens next.

Sox praise Duran

Ahead of the show’s release, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy issued a statement praising Duran for his courage speaking up about his mental health.

“Jarren’s decision to share his story is an act of courage that reaches far beyond baseball. By opening up, he’s showing others who may be struggling that they’re not alone and that asking for help isn’t just okay, it’s essential,” Kennedy said. “Every member of this organization continues to stand with him. He has our deepest admiration, he’s always had our full support, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him as part of our team.”

Odds and ends

Triston Casas is a frequent and amusing presence in the show with too many memorable quotes to list. One standout scene involves Casas encountering Duran having car trouble outside the park after a game, and after keeping his teammate company for a while, Casas attempts to call a tow truck while opining that baseball players play baseball, they don’t fix cars. Then, moments after the words leave his mouth, Duran gets his car to start. … Though Tyler O’Neill is no longer with the Red Sox, he gets plenty of screen time and speaks positively of his experience in Boston. The show also visits his house, introducing viewers to his wife, baby daughter and his in-home batting cage. … During an episode focusing on the trade deadline, the Netflix crew visits Hadlock Field in Portland to introduce viewers to top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel. Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson also makes a brief but memorable appearance.

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