The Red Sox have discovered a commerce accomplice for Matt Barnes after designating him for project final week.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first to report that the Sox are sending Barnes to the Miami Marlins. In return, they get veteran lefty Richard Bleier. To make room for Bleier on the 40-man roster, Franklin German has been designated for project.
While Craig Mish initially reported that the Sox are solely masking near $1 million of Barnes’ contract, he later supplied an replace that it’s really nearer to $5 million.
A supply confirmed to the Herald that the commerce is “roughly a cash neutral swap,” although with “some nuances” to the money and Competitive Balance Threshold.
Early in his profession, Bleier was a formidable arm within the American League East. After 9 seasons within the minor leagues, he debuted with the Yankees in 2016, and posted a 1.96 ERA and a pair of.67 FIP throughout 23 appearances. They traded him to the Orioles in February 2017, and he continued to dominate, posting a 1.97 ERA throughout 88 big-league appearances between 2017-18.
In April 2018, ESPN famous that he had one of the best profession ERA+ in MLB historical past (minimal 95 innings), however by June, a lat tear and subsequent surgical procedure ended his season. He missed time with shoulder tendinitis in 2019, however pitched properly down the stretch. The Orioles traded Bleier to the Marlins on July 31, 2020, and he went proper again to dominating, posting a 2.63 ERA throughout 19 appearances.
Over the final two seasons, Bleier has a 3.23 ERA, 1.196 WHIP, and three.13 FIP throughout 123 video games, together with 18 video games completed. He’s by no means been a strikeout pitcher, however is stingy with residence runs (profession 1.5%) and walks (profession 4%).
The Sox have been refining their bullpen all offseason, however the choice to chop Barnes, of all potential DFA candidates, got here as a shock. Unlike Darwinzon Hernandez, whom additionally they DFA’ed and traded, and Josh Taylor, who was dealt to the Kansas City Royals hours earlier than the Barnes choice, this is able to have been a really costly roster transfer in the event that they hadn’t discovered a commerce accomplice.
The Sox signed Barnes to a two-year, $18.75 million extension in July 2021. He’s owed $7.5 million this yr in addition to an $8 million membership possibility or $2.25 million buyout for subsequent season. The Marlins are solely on the hook – no pun supposed – for roughly $2.5 million of his wage this yr and no matter they determine to do with him in 2024.
Bleier is owed $3 million this season and has a ’24 membership possibility of his personal; the Sox can hold him for $3.75 million or pay him a $250K buyout. Including the cash they’re sending to Miami, the Sox are paying out roughly $8 million this season to the 2 pitchers.
This is the value the Sox had been keen to pay so as to add a stable lefty reliever to a righty-heavy bullpen. And if the Marlins don’t need to hold Barnes subsequent offseason, his buyout will value them greater than Bleier’s will value the Sox. However, if the Sox determine to choose up Bleier’s possibility, he’ll value them greater than shopping for out Barnes’ possibility will value Miami.
The Marlins are additionally getting the youthful pitcher on this swap. The Red Sox had been already projected to have one of many oldest rosters within the recreation this season. Now, they’ve exchanged a 32-year-old pitcher for one who’s turning 36 in April.
Meanwhile, the Marlins wished an skilled reliever, and obtained one; Barnes’ 429 regular-season appearances rank third all-time in franchise historical past behind Bob Stanley (637) and Tim Wakefield (590). He additionally brings postseason expertise to the desk; throughout 12 high-stakes video games in October, he posted a 0.79 ERA.
Source: www.bostonherald.com