Barnes allowed one hit, hit a batter and struck out two over one scoreless inning in Friday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Yankees.
Barnes got himself into a one-out, two-on jam after plunking Aaron Judge, but the right-hander was amped up while walking off the mound after striking out Anthony Rizzo and Josh Donaldson. It was a brief glimpse into the old Barnes -- the All Star of a season ago. This was the second consecutive good outing for Barnes, who has allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out four over 4.1 innings since being activated off the injured list. With Boston's bullpen in turmoil, the old Barnes would be a big help.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Officially reinstated Thursday
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Barnes (shoulder) was activated from the 60-day injured list Thursday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Barnes has been sidelined by the shoulder issue since late May and has been cleared to rejoin the big-league roster after an eight-game rehab assignment in the minors. The veteran right-hander surrendered seven earned runs across 7.2 innings with Triple-A Worcester and Double-A Portland. Barnes had a 7.94 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 14:12 K:BB across 17 frames prior to the injury and will likely fill a low-leverage role now that he's healthy.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Return imminent
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Barnes (shoulder) might be activated next week, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
Barnes is rehabbing with Double-A Portland and appeared for the Sea Dogs on Friday, the second of back-to-back outings for the right-hander. He hit 96 mph during Thursday's appearance and could provide a boost to Boston's bullpen, which ranks 25th in ERA (4.25) and leads the majors in blown saves (21).
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Perfect in Portland
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Barnes (shoulder) retired all three batters he faced, including two by strikeout, in the fourth inning for Double-A Portland on Thursday.
Barnes made his seventh rehab outing Thursday and is seemingly close to returning to the majors. The organization has scheduled him to throw back-to-back days so he's expected to appear Friday as well, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. When relievers on rehab pitch back-to-back days, that's typically the final step before their activation.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Continues rehab assignment
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Barnes (shoulder) will continue his rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Tuesday, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Barnes has already made five rehab outings between rookie ball and Triple-A Worcester, and he'll continue the minor-league assignment Tuesday with Portland. Manager Alex Cora said the veteran right-hander is also scheduled to pitch back-to-back days Friday and Saturday, which could be the final hurdle before he is reinstated from the injured list.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Rehabs at Worcester
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Barnes (shoulder) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out two over two-thirds of an inning for Triple-A Worcester on Friday.
Barnes was feeling good Saturday following the appearance, according to Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican. "At least stuff-wise, it was good," Boston manager Alex Cora said about Barnes, adding the righty's fastball was at 94-95 mph. "Physically, he was good. So that's a good sign." This was Barnes' fourth rehab outing after making three appearances for the club's rookie-level affiliate in the Florida Complex League.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Shifts to 60-day IL
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Barnes (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Barnes has been sidelined since May 31 due to fluid buildup in his right shoulder, and he now won't be eligible to return until the end of July. The 32-year-old recently began a rehab assignment with the Red Sox's rookie-level FCL affiliate, and he'll continue building up over the next couple weeks. He had a 7.94 ERA over 17 innings prior to the injury, so the extended rehab stint will also given him a chance to iron out his issues.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Barnes (shoulder) began a rehab assignment with the Red Sox's rookie-level Florida Coast League affiliate Saturday, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.
Barnes progressed to facing live hitters Monday and tossed another bullpen session Thursday. The right-hander gave up three runs on three hits in one inning Saturday, but his rehab assignment should be the final step in his recovery process. It's possible that Barnes will have additional appearances in the minors since he wasn't particularly effective prior to landing on the injured list.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Facing live hitters Monday
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Barnes (shoulder) will face live batters Monday for the first time in his rehab, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Barnes threw yet another bullpen session at Fenway South in Fort Myers on Thursday and is ready for the next challenge. He's been sidelined since the end of May.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Tosses bullpen session
Rotowire
Barnes (shoulder) threw a bullpen session in Fort Myers, Fla. on Monday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
This was the third bullpen session in the last six days for Barnes. The Red Sox have not yet offered a path for the right-hander's return to Boston. The team has been streaking since Barnes hit the IL -- those two events are coincidental -- and given the hurler's 7.94 ERA over 17 innings, the Red Sox are in no rush to add Barnes to the roster.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Playing catch
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Barnes (shoulder) has been able to play catch at the Red Sox's spring training facility in Florida but has not yet thrown a bullpen session, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Barnes struggled to a 7.94 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 14:12 K:BB in his first 20 outings of the season before hitting the injured list at the start of June with shoulder inflammation. He's making progress in his recovery, but since he's not working out in Boston and still has several more hurdles to clear, he doesn't appear especially close to being activated.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: MRI reveals fluid in shoulder
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Barnes (shoulder) underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed some fluid, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.
Barnes landed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation this week, and the Red Sox remain hopeful that the right-hander will be able to return after a minimal IL stay following Saturday's MRI results. However, a better idea of Barnes' status should come into focus once he's able to resume a throwing program.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Out with shoulder inflammation
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Barnes was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to May 31.
Barnes surrendered three runs over one inning during Monday's loss to Baltimore, and he'll now be sidelined for at least the next couple weeks with the shoulder issue. The right-hander had a 7.94 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 14:12 K:BB across 17 innings this season, as he struggles from the second half of last year have carried over into 2022. The Red Sox figure to utilize a minor-league rehab assignment once Barnes is nearing his return in order to get him some re-acclimation time before being activated.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Notches second save
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Barnes struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Saturday to record his second save of the season in a 6-5 win over the Mariners.
Manager Alex Cora has maintained faith that Barnes would turn things around, and that faith was rewarded for at least one afternoon as Barnes picked up his first save since April 22. The right-hander threw only three fastballs among his 15 pitches though, topping out at 95.8 mph, and he produced only one swinging strike -- numbers which don't hint at a return to the dominance he flashed in the first half last year. Nonetheless, no one else has stepped up and seized Boston's closer role, so if Barnes can string together a few good appearances, the job could be his once again.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Tagged with loss
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Barnes (0-3) was tagged with Saturday's loss, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with one strikeout in the 10th inning of a loss to the White Sox.
After the Red Sox blew yet another save in the ninth inning -- the bullpen has converted just 5-of-14 save opportunities -- Barnes was brought in for the 10th inning. He permitted hard contact on two consecutive hits, which produced both runs, and another hard-hit groundout before getting through the inning. Earlier in the day, the right-hander told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com that his velocity returned (95.2 mph, up from season average of 93.8) during a one-inning stint Friday following a mechanical tweak and claimed it was the best he felt in six months. One day later, his five four-seamers averaged 93.9 mph.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Coughs up lead
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Barnes allowed one run on two hits in the eighth inning of Saturday's 2-1 extra-inning loss to the Orioles.
Barnes entered to pitch the eighth after seven dominant innings from starter Nathan Eovaldi and got two quick outs. However, Cedric Mullins blooped a double, which was followed by a Anthony Santander run-scoring single. While Saturday's outcome can be attributed to bad luck -- Mullins' double had an 83.1 mph exit velocity -- Barnes has been unreliable thus far. He has a 5.87 ERA with four walks (1.2 K/BB) over 7.2 innings.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Picks up first save
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Barnes earned the save, tossing 0.1 innings in a 4-3 win Friday in Tampa.
Barnes was not called upon to start the ninth inning with the Red Sox winning 4-3 but came in with two outs and the bases loaded. He got Wander Franco to hit a hard ground ball and Trevor Story made an excellent play to record the final out. The righty served as Boston's closer for much of last year before losing his job near the end of the season. He had not appeared in any high-leverage situations in his first four appearances but managed to get the job done Friday.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Cora wants him to close
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Red Sox manager Alex Cora wants Barnes to be the closer and believes the pitcher is close to being able to fill the role, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. "I've been saying all along, for me, if Matty (Barnes) gets to where we want to and we do believe he's very close, it will be great for him to get that ninth inning because he can get lefties and righties out," Cora said.
Cora has managed with a closer-by-committee for now, but he prefers the structure of set roles. Three relievers -- Jake Diekman, Hansel Robles and Garrett Whitlock -- have recorded saves thus far. Barnes made his fourth appearance of the season Wednesday, allowing a run on one hit and a wild pitch while striking out one. He's allowed three runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batsman while striking out three over four innings.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Struggles to command
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Barnes allowed two runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batsman in Friday's 8-4 loss to Minnesota.
The Red Sox struggled against Minnesota pitching but finally cracked the code during a three-run eighth inning that closed the gap to 6-4. Barnes, who had two encouraging appearances in low-leverage spots earlier in the week, was brought on to keep the Twins in check for a potential ninth-inning comeback. Unfortunately, he was unable to find the strike zone, walking two straight and hitting a batter, leading to two runs. This had the appearance of manager Alex Cora testing Barnes as a ninth-inning guy, but it was not a closer-like performance.
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Red Sox's Matt Barnes: Hurls scoreless sixth
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Barnes struck out one and did not allowed a baserunner over a scoreless relief inning in Wednesday's 9-7 win over the Tigers.
Barnes, who entered to pitch the sixth inning with Boston up 7-2, made his second appearance of the season, working the sixth inning for the second time in as many outings. He set down the side on 14 pitches, and more notably, Barnes sustained his velocity, averaging 94.3 mph on five four-seamers. While Boston's closer situation remains unsettled, this could be a situation where manager Alex Cora is building up the right-hander's confidence in low-leverage spots before moving him into a higher-stakes role.
