All-Star Pitcher Felt 'Blindsided' When Red Sox Designated Him For Assignment

Boston did not give any indication of a potential release

Scott Neville | Jan 31, 2023

All-Star Pitcher Felt 'Blindsided' When Red Sox Designated Him For Assignment /

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The Boston Red Sox shocked fans and media alike when they designated All-Star right-handed reliever Matt Barnes for assignment last week.

As it turns out, the 32-year-old was just as surprised. Days later, he was shipped off to the Miami Marlins in exchange for left-hander Richard Bleier and cash considerations.

Barnes' whole world was shifted upside down after spending his entire 12-year career in the Red Sox organization.

In his introductory press conference with the Marlins, Barnes gave some insight into what he deemed a "bittersweet" transition.

The longtime Red Sox hurler told reporters that he was "blindsided" when the club designated him for assignment according to Boston Sports Journal's Sean McAdam.

Barnes was far from the top of the list of most-likely designations. He posted a 4.31 ERA with a 34-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .240 batting average against in 39 2/3 innings last season.

Nothing to write home about, but he was far from the worst reliever left on the 40-man roster. That title would go to Ryan Brasier -- who somehow has lasted through the ongoing massive roster overhaul. Kaleb Ort would not be far behind -- and made it over Barnes for reasons unknown.

On top of performance evaluation, Barnes was also a much harder player to move. The veteran is owed $8.375 million with a club option for 2024 that included a $2.25 million buyout.

However, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom decided to designate and then trade Barnes along with over $5 million for a 35-year-old southpaw instead of just getting rid of Brasier or Ort.

It was a questionable move -- one that Barnes should not have seen coming. He's the latest longstanding member of the organization to be turned away in a disrespectful fashion.

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Published Jan 31, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu