Dodgers All-Star Says 'Everybody Was Surprised' About Austin Barnes DFA

J.P. Hoornstra | May 16, 2025

Mar 1, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) bats against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Clayton Kershaw is the Los Angeles Dodgers' longest tenured player. With his first minor league rehabilitation game in April, he marked off 20 years in the organization; his start Saturday against the Angels comes 17 years to the month after his major league debut.

For years now, Kershaw has been as dialed in as anyone in the clubhouse to the pulse of the team, a leader among leaders. And not even he expected Austin Barnes to be designated for assignment Wednesday.

"I think everybody was surprised," Kershaw told reporters Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, including Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation. "Yeah. It’s sad. Barnesy’s one of my best friends on or off the field. You won’t find a guy that competes better than Austin Barnes. He wants to win more than anybody, and he always found a way, and he came up with some big moments for us throughout the years."

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Barnes was Kershaw's teammate for 10 seasons (2016-25), more than anyone else on the team. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has thrown to 13 different catchers in his career. Only A.J. Ellis (829) caught more Kershaw innings than Barnes (508).

Thank you, 15. pic.twitter.com/eao7LWQpSy

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 14, 2025

From the time of his debut, Barnes made his bones as a hard-nosed catcher, willing to get dirty, frame pitches with the best of his peers, and ably call a game for one of the league's best pitching staffs.

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Though not a slugger, Barnes' ability to draw walks and put the ball in play endeared him to the organization as a viable backup to Ellis, Yasmani Grandal, Russell Martin and Will Smith.

In his best season at the plate, 2017, Barnes hit .289 with a .402 on-base percentage. His 138 OPS+ that year, combined with an October slump by Grandal, made him the primary backstop in the National League Championship Series and World Series.

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"I think a lot of people forget he was starting a lot of playoff games and winning a lot of games for us, getting big knocks," Kershaw said of Barnes. "It’s sad to see someone like that go who’s been here that long, and I think we all kind of feel it."

Dalton Rushing effectively forced the Dodgers' hand by getting off to a hot start with Triple-A Oklahoma City. The No. 1 prospect in the organization, Rushing was hitting .308 with a .424 on-base percentage and .514 slugging percentage in 31 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City this season.

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Still, Kershaw made it clear he will miss what the Dodgers lost by cutting Barnes.

"It’s no disrespect to Dalton," Kershaw said. "I know he deserves it, and he’s going to be a great player. It’s just for me, personally, I think for a lot of guys on the team, it was disappointing to see (Barnes) go.”

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.