Marlins Acquire All-Star Reliever, World Series Champ in Trade with Red Sox

The Miami Marlins have acquired All-Star relief pitcher and World Series champion Matt Barnes in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for veteran left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier, Craig Mish reports. Barnes was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last week.

The Miami Marlins have acquired All-Star relief pitcher and World Series champion Matt Barnes in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, in exchange for veteran left-handed pitcher Richard Bleier, Craig Mish reports.

Barnes, a righty, was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last week.

Barnes, 32, posted a 4.31 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 98 ERA+ in 44 appearances and 39.2 innings pitched for the Red Sox in 2022. In 2021, he collected a career-high 24 saves, and was named to the All-Star Game for the first time in his Major League career.

Barnes posted a 2.30 ERA and .164 Opponent Batting Average in his first 43 outings in 2021, but hit a snag down the stretch of the season. Over the final two months of the regular season, Barnes allowed 12 earned runs over 11.2 innings pitched in 17 games, for a 9.26 ERA, .321 Opponent Batting Average, .429 On Base Percentage and 1.051 Opponent OPS. Barnes' struggles carried over into 2022, and the Red Sox seemingly lost patience, cutting ties with the former first round pick of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft.

Barnes will hope that he can benefit from a change of scenery. The Marlins added another accomplished veteran to their roster. After standing by during the winter meetings and the early part of the offseason, the Marlins have been quite active in recent weeks, signing Jean Segura, and trading away Miguel Rojas and Pablo Lopez. The club acquired 2022 American League batting champion Luis Arraez in exchange for Lopez and prospects, just over a week ago.

The Marlins will need to significantly improve in 2023, coming off a 69-win season in which they finished fourth in the National League East. The three teams that finished in front of them either won 101 games, or in the case of the Philadelphia Phillies, were the National League Champions, in 2022.

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