| Date | News | Comment |
| Apr 20 2025 | Toronto designated Barnes for assignment Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes' removal from the 40-man roster was one of a series of Toronto moves involving relievers Sunday, as fellow righties Paxton Schultz and Dillon Tate were summoned from the minors and righty Nick Sandlin (lat) was placed on the 15-day IL. It's been a rough season so far for Barnes, who has a 9.00 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB through eight innings across six appearances. |
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| Mar 27 2025 | The Blue Jays selected Barnes' contract from Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Despite attending camp as a non-roster invitee and posting a 6.75 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB over 5.1 innings in the Grapefruit League, Barnes was able to win a spot in the Blue Jays' Opening Day bullpen. He'll likely be ticketed for lower-leverage work. |
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| Mar 23 2025 | Barnes is expected to be a part of Toronto's Opening Day roster, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes will open the year with Toronto's major-league roster after signing a minor-league deal with the team in February. The right-hander appeared in six games this spring, including one start, surrendering four earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six batters over 5.1 innings. |
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| Oct 30 2023 | Barnes elected free agency Monday, per the MLB transactions log. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes chose to test the open market after failing to draw interest while on waivers. He appeared in 13 games for the Cardinals during the 2023 campaign, posting a 5.93 ERA and 1.54 WHIP with eight strikeouts over 13.2 innings. |
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| Sep 27 2023 | Barnes (0-1) allowed one run on one hit over two-thirds of an inning, taking the loss Wednesday versus the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes got the last two outs of the sixth inning with no trouble, but put a runner on in the seventh, and Matthew Liberatore couldn't prevent the go-ahead run from scoring. Barnes has worked in a low-leverage role with the Cardinals, pitching to a 7.15 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB over 11.1 innings across 11 appearances this season after he was called up Aug. 22. |
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| Aug 22 2023 | The Cardinals selected Barnes' contract from Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes has spent all of this season at the Triple-A level, collecting a 2.47 ERA and 45:22 K:BB over 51 innings at three different stops. The 33-year-old reliever will provide a fresh arm to a Cards' bullpen that's been overworked. |
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| Jul 19 2023 | Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes was cut loose by the Phillies on July 10, and he'll now serve as an organizational depth piece in the Cardinals' farm system. Barnes holds a 2.97 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through 33.1 innings in Triple-A and has now been a part of three different organizations this season. |
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| May 30 2023 | Barnes signed a minor-league contract Tuesday with the Phillies, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes opted out of a minor-league pact with the Rangers last week after pitching to a 2.21 ERA across 20.1 innings with their Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock. He'll be stationed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. |
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| Oct 1 2022 | Barnes' contract was selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes joined the Yankees on a minor-league deal at the end of August, and he posted a 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in seven innings over nine appearances at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre over the last month. The right-hander will be a late-season addition to the team's big-league bullpen after Zack Britton (shoulder) was placed on the 60-day injured list Saturday. |
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| Aug 30 2022 | Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Tuesday and will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Conor Foley of The Scranton Times-Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes opened the season with Detroit and posted a 6.10 ERA in 20.2 frames before being cut loose in mid-June. The right-hander has spent time in the minors with the Tigers and Mariners over the past couple months and will now receive an opportunity with the Yankees. |
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| Aug 27 2022 | Barnes was released by the Tigers on Friday, Emily Waldon of Baseball America reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes rejoined the Tigers on a minor-league deal in late July but will be let go just over a month later. During his stint at Triple-A Toledo, he posted a 3.00 ERA, 12:2 K:BB and 1.50 WHIP in six innings. |
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| Jul 26 2022 | Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Tuesday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes will return to the Tigers system after he elected free agency when designated for assignment by the team in June. The reliever has produced a 6.10 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with 10 strikeouts over 20.2 innings in 22 appearances with the Tigers this season. Barnes will be a likely candidate for a call-up if the team trades away some bullpen pieces at the trade deadline. |
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| Jul 11 2022 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes joined Seattle's major-league roster Saturday but didn't make any appearances over the last two games. He'll lose his place on the 40-man roster after Erik Swanson (personal) was reinstated from the paternity list. |
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| Jul 9 2022 | Barnes had his contract selected by the Mariners on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes joined Seattle on a minor-league deal in late June after being released by the Tigers. He didn't allow a run across four innings with Triple-A Tacoma and now projects to occupy a low-leverage role in the Mariners bullpen. |
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| Jun 22 2022 | Barnes agreed to a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Wednesday, Tacoma Rainers broadcaster Mike Curto reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes was cut loose by Detroit over the weekend after posting a 6.10 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 10:9 K:BB across 20.2 innings this season. He'll report to Triple-A Tacoma in hopes of earning another big-league opportunity with the Mariners. |
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| Jun 18 2022 | Barnes cleared waivers and was released by the Tigers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes made 22 relief appearances for the Tigers this year and posted a 6.10 ERA and 1.45 WHIP while striking out just 10 batters in 20.2 innings. The 32-year-old was designated for assignment Monday and will be able to seek out other opportunities as a free agent. |
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| Jun 13 2022 | Barnes was designated for assignment following Monday's game against the White Sox, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes has struggled of late, as he's surrendered 11 runs on 12 hits and six walks while striking out four over his last seven appearances (6.2 innings). He'll hit the waiver wire following Monday night's move. |
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| May 21 2022 | Barnes (3-1) allowed four runs on four hits in an inning of work to take the loss Friday against the Guardians. He struck out two. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Starter Tarik Skubal was hit by a comebacker at the end of the fifth inning and exited the game with a left leg contusion. The lefty hadn't allowed a run while he was in there, but Barnes immediately changed that. The righty allowed four straight hits to start the frame, with the final blow being a three-run home run by Jose Ramirez. The poor outing raised Barnes' ERA from 1.93 to 4.20. That's more in line with his career 4.58 ERA, so Barnes was probably pitching a bit over his head to start the season. |
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| May 1 2022 | Barnes (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning in relief and earned the win Saturday against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes has pitched well for the Tigers with a 1.08 ERA and 0.60 WHIP across 8.1 innings, and he's now scooped up two wins in relief as well. Wins are unpredictable for middle relievers, so it's hard to say how many more the righty will get, but Barnes has at least solidified his role in the Detroit bullpen with his strong play so far. |
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| Apr 16 2022 | Barnes (1-0) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with a strikeout to earn the win Friday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes has been good so far for Detroit, logging three scoreless innings and allowing just a single hit. Michael Fulmer earned his first save of the season Friday, and Gregory Soto is the team's regular closer, so Barnes should remain in a setup role moving forward. However, with Jose Cisnero (shoulder) on the 60-day IL, Barnes should be able to hold onto a key role in the Tigers' bullpen, even if it doesn't carry a ton of fantasy value most days. |
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| Apr 6 2022 | Barnes' contract was selected by the Tigers on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes has had lackluster results in the majors across the last several seasons, but he still claimed a spot in Detroit's Opening Day bullpen. Across 29 outings with the Mets and Blue Jays last year, he posted a 6.28 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 28.2 innings. |
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| Apr 5 2022 | The Tigers informed Barnes on Tuesday that he'll be included in the team's Opening Day bullpen, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Fellow non-roster relievers Will Vest and Drew Hutchison are also set to make the team, so Detroit will need to make corresponding transactions to clear spots on the 40-man roster for all three pitchers. Barnes saw action in 29 big-league games between the Mets and Blue Jays in 2021, accruing a 6.28 ERA and 1.47 WHIP across 28.2 innings. He'll likely see most of his initial opportunities out of the Detroit bullpen in lower-leverage spots. |
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| Oct 20 2021 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes spent the final weekend of the regular season with the major-league club but will lose his spot on the 40-man roster early in the offseason. The right-hander made 29 relief appearances with the Mets and Blue Jays in 2021 and posted a 6.28 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 28.2 innings. |
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| Sep 29 2021 | The Blue Jays selected Barnes' contract from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes will rejoin the Toronto bullpen as a replacement for Anthony Castro, who was optioned to Triple-A after tossing 28 pitches in a relief appearance Tuesday against the Yankees. Before being outrighted off the 40-man roster in early August, Barnes made nine appearances for Toronto and gave up six earned runs in nine innings. |
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| Jul 26 2021 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes was traded from the Mets to the Blue Jays in mid-June, and he tossed six scoreless innings across his first five relief appearances with his new club. However, he struggled recently and allowed six runs on six hits and four walks while striking out five in three innings across his last four outings. His removal from the 40-man roster clears room for left-hander Kirby Snead, whose contract was selected by the Blue Jays on Monday. |
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| Jun 19 2021 | Manager Charlie Montoyo said Saturday that the newly acquired Barnes is expected to join the team for their upcoming series against the Marlins, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes was traded to Toronto from the Mets in exchange for cash considerations earlier Saturday. It sounds like the right-hander will join the 26-man roster for the start of the series in Miami on Tuesday, though nothing has been made official at this point. Barnes posted a subpar 6.27 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while logging 18.2 innings with the Mets prior to Saturday's trade. |
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| Jun 14 2021 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Mets on Monday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes posted a 6.27 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across 18.2 innings for the Mets this season, and he lost his spot on the 40-man roster after surrendering three runs on five hits in his past two outings. Sean Reid-Foley was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. |
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| May 27 2021 | Barnes recorded the final out of the seventh inning for the save in Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes inherited a runner on first base with two outs in the seventh inning, and he got Ryan McMahon to fly out to left field to end the game. The 31-year-old has two saves in his last three appearances. These were unique situations, as one was extra innings and Thursday's was a seven-inning doubleheader. He doesn't normally receive any save opportunities. Barnes has a 6.43 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 14 innings. |
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| May 22 2021 | Barnes recorded the final out of Friday's 6-5 extra-innings win over the Marlins to record his first save of the season. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After the Mets scored three runs in the top of the 12th inning, Aaron Loup entered the game to try and finish it off with all the team's high-leverage arms having worked earlier in the evening. The left-hander gave up two runs before Barnes was summoned and induced a flyout from Adam Duvall. Barnes now has one save to go with his one win and one hold on the year, but his 7.71 ERA -- fueled by four homers allowed in 11.2 innings -- will keep him far away from key situations on most nights. |
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| May 19 2021 | Barnes (1-1) allowed a run on one hit and struck out two in one inning in Wednesday's loss to Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The right-hander got through the eighth inning without trouble, but Ronald Acuna hit a walkoff solo home run against him in the ninth. Barnes has struggled to a 7.94 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB across 11.1 innings this year. He has just one hold in 11 outings -- given his inconsistent play, he's unlikely to see many high-leverage opportunities. |
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| May 2 2021 | Barnes (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh inning on Sunday, earning the win over the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes pitched a three-up three-down seventh inning when the Mets were losing before they erupted for a six-run eighth inning. Sunday was only Barnes' fifth appearance and first since April 24. He has a 7.50 ERA in six innings. |
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| Mar 25 2021 | Barnes appears likely to begin the season as part of the Mets' bullpen, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The right-hander's 5.40 ERA this spring isn't impressive, but he does have a 6:2 K:BB through five innings -- and, perhaps more importantly, Barnes is out of minor-league options. Expect the 30-year-old to fill a fairly low-leverage role initially, but if he pitches effectively, he could work his way into a more fantasy-friendly assignment in a bullpen that remains unsettled behind closer Edwin Diaz and eighth-inning man Trevor May. |
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| Nov 30 2020 | Barnes agreed Monday with the Mets on a one-year, $750,000 contract that includes up to $100,000 in incentives, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes, whom the Mets claimed off waivers from the Angels in late October, was scheduled to enter arbitration this offseason for the second time in his career before he was able to come to terms on a deal with New York. If the 30-year-old is able to make the Mets' Opening Day roster out of spring training, he'll likely work in a low-leverage role out of the bullpen. |
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| Oct 30 2020 | Barnes was claimed off waivers by the Mets on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old joined the Halos on a one-year deal last offseason and had a 2.24 FIP in 2020 despite a 5.50 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 24:4 K:BB over 18 innings. Barnes figures to work in middle relief or low leverage if he makes the Opening Day roster for New York next year. |
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| Jul 23 2020 | The Angels selected Barnes' contract Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The righty split time between the Brewers and Royals organizations in 2019, logging a 7.44 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 32:22 K:BB in 32.2 innings. Barnes will likely be ticketed for lower-leverage work out of the Los Angeles bullpen to begin 2020. |
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| Mar 14 2020 | Barnes is a candidate to begin the regular season in the Angels' bullpen, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Angels signed Barnes to a minor-league contract in the offseason following a disastrous 2019 campaign in which the right-hander posted a 7.44 ERA in 32.2 innings between Milwaukee and Kansas City. Despite being a non-roster invitee to spring camp, Barnes has earned consideration for a big-league roster spot due to a strong spring in which he has held opponents scoreless and picked up four strikeouts over five innings. Per Fletcher, Barnes' velocity has settled back into the mid-90s after dropping to a career-low average of 93.6 mph last season as he battled injuries to his hip, shoulder and arm. |
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| Nov 6 2019 | Barnes was released by the Royals on Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes will become a free agent after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 29-year-old didn't help his case for a major-league contract this offseason by posting a 7.44 ERA in 32.2 major-league innings last season, though he did record an ERA of 4.00 or lower in each of his first three seasons in the league. |
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| Nov 4 2019 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Royals on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Barnes threw 32.2 innings at the big-league level this season, struggling to a 7.44 ERA while walking 13.8 percent of opposing batters. He has a decent 4.25 ERA in 180.0 career major-league innings, which could be enough for him to get claimed off waivers. |
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| Aug 13 2019 | Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. | |
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| Aug 1 2019 | Barnes was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Thursday. | |
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| Jun 17 2019 | Barnes was optioned to Triple-A San Antonio<\/a> on Monday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jun 2 2019 | Barnes was recalled<\/a> from Triple-A San Antonio on Sunday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 18 2019 | Barnes was optioned to Triple-A San Antonio<\/a> on Saturday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| May 12 2019 | The Brewers recalled Barnes from Triple-A San Antonio on Sunday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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| Jul 3 2018 | Barnes tossed a scoreless inning in the Brewers' extra-inning victory over the Twins on Monday. | Barnes was tagged for three earned runs his previous time out -- the first time he allowed anyone to cross the plate since being recalled May 27 -- but he was able to right the ship Monday, recording the final three outs of the top of the ninth inning with the Brewers down a run. Barnes remains a middle reliever for now, but he is throwing well enough -- 1.93 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 14 innings since the aforementioned recall -- to see work in more important spots if needed. |
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| Jun 13 2018 | Barnes tossed a clean ninth inning Tuesday to lock down the Brewers' 4-0 victory over the Cubs. | With the Brewers not in a save situation heading into the ninth inning and top relievers Corey Knebel and Josh Hader both pitching an inning-plus the previous day, manager Craig Counsell turned to Barnes to finish Tuesday's contest, and he delivered. Barnes spent over two weeks in the minors during May due to some struggles, but he has been lights out since returning, allowing just three hits over seven scoreless innings while posting a 6:0 K:BB. He will mainly work in middle relief moving forward, but his return form bolsters an already formidable Brewers bullpen. |
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| May 27 2018 | Barnes was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Sunday. | Barnes will rejoin the Brewers' bullpen after spending the past two weeks in Triple-A, where he allowed two runs and posted a 4:4 K:BB over 4.1 innings of relief. The 28-year-old held a 2.84 ERA over 19 innings prior to his demotion earlier this month. Reliever Adrian Houser was optioned to Colorado Springs in a corresponding move. |
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| May 2 2018 | Barnes recorded just one out while giving up three hits and an earned run in Tuesday's victory over the Reds, but he did record his third hold of the season. | Barnes was not sharp Tuesday, serving up his first home run of the season and a couple other hits, but he was bailed out by fellow reliever Jeremy Jeffress, and his ERA only rose to 1.65. His WHIP did rise to 1.35, though, and he will likely need to bring that number down to keep his ERA tidy. Barnes was exceptional while converting a two-inning save Apr. 18, but he has not seen a save opportunity since; and in fact, has not even pitched the ninth inning since that date. With Jeffress and Josh Hader both excelling in save situations of late and closer Corey Knebel (hamstring) nearing a return, Barnes is unlikely to be in the mix for saves anytime soon. |
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| Apr 26 2018 | Barnes pitched 1.1 innings in Wednesday's victory over the Royals. | Barnes was not his sharpest, allowing two hits and walking a batter while not striking anyone out, but most importantly, he escaped the outing without allowing an earned run. Barnes notched a two-inning save last week against the Reds, but he has pitched in two games since and entered those games in the sixth and seventh innings, so he's not on the verge of taking over the closer duties for the Brewers. Given the way manager Craig Counsell has used his relievers of late, though, it's not out of the question that Barnes could be used next time a save situation arises. |
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| Apr 18 2018 | Barnes walked one and struck out three in two scoreless innings to pick up his second save of the season in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Reds. | It's his fourth appearance of the season longer than one inning, and manager Craig Counsell seems to be throwing the conventional rules for closer usage out the window while Corey Knebel (hamstring) is on the shelf. Barnes now sports a 1.50 ERA and 13:7 K:BB through 12 innings, but with two blown saves on his ledger already in 2018, don't expect him to suddenly claim the ninth-inning job all to himself. |
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| Apr 11 2018 | Barnes was charged with his second blown save Tuesday. He issued two walks (one intentional) and uncorked two wild pitches while recording one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. | After Matt Albers blew a save chance and pitched two innings Monday, Barnes got another opportunity Tuesday with Albers presumably unavailable, although he didn't get to start the ninth inning (Taylor Williams did). Barnes came on with one out in the frame and couldn't find the strike zone, allowing Tommy Pham to advance twice on wild pitches. It's a chaotic situation in Milwaukee with Corey Knebel (hamstring) on the DL. The team seems intent on keeping Josh Hader in a multi-inning role, so we could see Albers -- or possibly Jeremy Jeffress -- get the ball the next time the Brewers have a lead in the ninth. |
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| Apr 10 2018 | Barnes struck out two batters in the eighth inning of Monday's victory over the Cardinals. | Barnes righted the ship after blowing a save opportunity his last time out, punching out both Marcell Ozuna and Jose Martinez in to protect a one-run lead in a game the Brewers eventually win. While Barnes saw the first save opportunity after closer Corey Knebel (hamstring) went down last week, fellow reliever Matt Albers was presumably unavailable that night, and it was Albers who received the save chance Monday night. Albers blew the save as well, which keeps Barnes in the conversation for ninth-inning duties in Knebel's absence. However, Albers did recover by pitching a clean 10th inning, so it seems likely he, rather than Barnes, will be the reliever who gets a chance to close the door next time the Brewers find themselves in a save situation. |
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| Apr 7 2018 | Barnes got the call in the ninth inning Saturday against the Cubs to protect a 2-1 lead, but he instead got tagged for four runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while recording only two outs. | The Brewers' first game without Corey Knebel (hamstring) was a disaster, as errors by Orlando Arcia and Travis Shaw loaded the bases with one out and Barnes crumbled. Expect someone else to get the next save opportunity for Milwaukee, as manager Craig Counsell tried to piece together a committee in Knebel's absence. |
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| Apr 6 2018 | Barnes is likely to receive some save opportunities as the Brewers employ a closer committee to cover for the injured Corey Knebel (hamstring), Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. | Knebel is out at least six weeks, so save opportunities will be up for grabs in Milwaukee for a while. Manager Craig Counsell confirmed that a committee will be used, though he didn't name specific committee members. Barnes has the statistical profile of a potential closer, striking out 25.7 percent of the batters he's faced so far in his career, a number which easily outpaces other potential committee members Matt Albers and Jeremy Jeffress. His 3.44 career ERA (backed up by a 3.40 FIP) is more solid than elite, but solid may be enough to tide the Brewers over until Knebel returns. |
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| Apr 5 2018 | Barnes is a candidate to close with Corey Knebel (hamstring) injured, but manager Craig Counsell has yet to name an interim closer, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. | Knebel is set for a stint on the DL, so the Brewers will have to formulate a new ninth-inning plan while he's on the shelf. Barnes is squarely in the mix considering his sharp start to the year that includes four scoreless frames to go with three strikeouts and just two baserunners allowed. He also has some ninth-inning experience, although he did register five blown saves in 2017. Barnes, Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress and Matt Albers are all legitimate candidates to close in Knebel's absence, but Counsell's exact plan might take a few games to come into focus. |
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| Apr 4 2018 | Barnes threw two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in Tuesday's victory over the Cardinals. | Barnes held the Cardinals at bay Tuesday while pitching the sixth and seventh innings, an effort that eventually led to a Brewers' comeback victory. Barnes has not allowed a run through four innings and picked up a save in extra innings Opening Day, but that was only after closer Corey Knebel blew the opportunity in the ninth inning. Fantasy owners should expect Barnes to regularly work in the innings he pitched Tuesday as long as Knebel has the ninth-inning job. |
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| Mar 30 2018 | Barnes picked up the save in Thursday's Opening Day victory over the Padres. | Had things gone as manager Craig Counsell planned Thursday Barnes would not have pitched, but closer Corey Knebel blew a save in the ninth inning and extended the game, which led to Barnes getting the next opportunity to close out the game, which he ultimately did by striking out all three batters he faced. Barnes' showing will not immediately bump him up the ranks in the Brewers' bullpen -- he is essentially the fifth option as the season gets underway -- but it does seemingly get him back on track coming off a rough spring. |
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| Mar 25 2018 | Manager Craig Counsell confirmed Sunday that Barnes will be in the Brewers' bullpen to begin the regular season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. | Barnes has been hit around this spring, allowing six earned runs over 5.1 innings (10.13 ERA) while serving up 12 hits and posting a 7:6 K:BB ratio, but his 73 appearances a year ago -- second on the squad -- show he has already earned Counsell's trust, and a few poor exhibition innings will not prevent him from breaking camp with the big club. They do leave his role somewhat uncertain heading into the regular season, though, as veteran right-handers Matt Albers and Jeremy Jeffress have been sharper this spring and could open above Barnes on the bullpen ladder. |
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| Mar 11 2018 | Barnes has tossed 3.0 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and one walk through three spring training appearances. | Barnes hopes to turn his performance around soon, as his 9.00 ERA certainly isn't what the Brewers are looking for. His big fastball warrants a decent number of strikeouts, but he'll need to work on keeping the ball down in the zone in 2018 to limit home runs. Barnes finished the 2017 season with a 4.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 72.0 innings, and he figures be one of Milwaukee's key relievers this season. |
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| Sep 5 2017 | Barnes pitched two-thirds of an inning against the Reds on Tuesday, giving up four runs on three walks and a hit. He also threw two wild pitches. | One of the walks was intentional, but even so, Barnes struggled mightily to find the plate in this appearance. He'd gone without allowing an earned run in nine of his prior 10 outings, but Barnes' subpar ratios have made him an inconsistent fantasy option even in formats that count the 24 holds he's accumulated. |
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| Aug 4 2017 | Barnes allowed seven runs on nine hits over his final four appearances (3.1 innings) of July. | Manager Craig Counsell has continued to use Barnes in high-leverage, with Barnes picking up two holds in his two appearances thus far in August. The 27-year-old has an unattractive 4.28 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 48.1 innings this season, but has 54 strikeouts and 20 holds. Barnes' numbers could use some improvement, but it looks as though he'll be Milwaukee's secondary setup man behind the recently acquired Anthony Swarzak. |
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| Jul 13 2017 | Barnes has allowed only three hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts over his last six innings. | The 27-year-old had a June to forget with eight runs allowed across 10.2 innings, but has bounced back in recent appearances. Barnes remains the setup man to closer Corey Knebel and leads the Brewers with 16 holds this season. The second-year reliever has a 3.63 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 46 strikeouts over 39.2 innings this year. |
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| Jun 14 2017 | Barnes tossed a scoreless eighth inning in the Brewers' victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night. | Barnes' ratios recently took a thumping when he allowed four earned runs without recording an out against the Giants on June 8, but he allowed just one earned run in all in his 14 other appearances since May 13. Unless the Brewers acquire a more proven reliever at the back end of their bullpen, he will continue to have a firm grasp on the setup job in front of closer Corey Knebel. |
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| May 28 2017 | Barnes pitched a perfect 1.1 innings with one strikeout to earn the save in Sunday's 9-5 win over Arizona. | Barnes came into a major jam in the eighth inning, as a seven-run lead had been shrunk to three and pinch-hitter Paul Goldschmidt coming to the plate as the potential tying run. Barnes got Goldschmidt to fly out to center, and after the Brewers tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, was allowed to finish off the game. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to get his second save of the year and bring his ERA to 2.96. Over his last seven appearances, Barnes has been unscored upon and allowed just two baserunners in 6.2 innings. Corey Knebel seems to have a solid grip on the closer role for the Brewers, but Barnes looks like a very trusted member of the Milwaukee pen. |
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| May 14 2017 | Barnes may see more opportunities for saves now that Neftali Feliz has been removed from the Brewers' closer role. | The right-hander often pitches in high-leverage roles and has recorded five holds this year with 21 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. Still, Barnes is more often used to bridge the game to the late frames, and he's endured a rough May (7.50 ERA in six innings). Plus, with Barnes having pitched in non-save roles Friday and Saturday, Corey Knebel successfully converted the first chance after the change with a 1-2-3 inning Sunday. He boasts more believable skills to do the job. Barnes moves up the saves depth chart and gains more value in NL-only and some deep mixed leagues, but he looks like the backup plan right now. |
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