It’s open season – or slightly, offseason – on struggling bullpen arms in Boston.
Hours after buying and selling Josh Taylor to the Royals, the Red Sox have designated Matt Barnes for task.
First reported by Chris Henrique, the transfer corresponds with the crew’s official announcement of the Adam Duvall signing.
The Sox have prioritized bullpen upgrades all winter. They signed Joely Rodriguez, Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen to short-term offers and DFA’ed and traded Darwinzon Hernandez. But chopping ties with Barnes comes as a largest shock, partly as a result of the Sox nonetheless should pay him $7.5 million this yr. That he was on the chopping block earlier than pitchers like Ryan Brasier, Wyatt Mills and Kaleb Ort can also be surprising.
The transfer cements a tough fall from grace for Barnes. It’s been lower than two years because the Sox signed him to a two-year extension with a membership choice for a 3rd yr, the week after he was named to his first All-Star Game.
Following his extension, Barnes struggled within the second half of the season and missed time on the COVID-19 injured checklist. After posting a 2.61 ERA and 0.895 WHIP throughout 38 appearances within the first half, he compiled a 6.48 ERA and 1.620 WHIP over 22 appearances within the second.
Injuries prevented the 32-year-old righty from bouncing again in early 2022. His cumulative 4.31 ERA (44 appearances) belies his early season struggles and two months on the injured checklist, but it surely additionally masks his late-season success; he posted a 1.59 ERA over his remaining 24 appearances.
Barnes, a Connecticut native, debuted with the Sox in 2014, and compiled a 4.07 ERA throughout 429 regular-season appearances, together with 134 video games completed and 47 saves. He was dominant on the ’16 and ’18 postseason groups, posting a 0.87 ERA over 10 1/3 innings, however in ’21, his late-season struggles prompted the Sox to depart him off the ALDS and ALCS rosters. He was later added to the postseason roster when Garrett Richards acquired injured.
With greater than three years of service time, Barnes is ready to refuse outright task to the minor leagues. If the Sox are unable to commerce him, he’ll change into a free agent in seven days.
For these holding rating at house, this roster transfer means Brasier, Rafael Devers and Chris Sale at the moment are the one remaining members of the ’18 championship crew.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
