MATT BARNES NEWS

How Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes' COVID-19 positive test affects the bullpen, roster picture and more Matt Barnes' COVID-19 positive result has the Red Sox in "fire drill" mode for Opening Day. What does it mean for the bullpen and roster?

MARCH 27, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

McAdam: COVID-19 hits Red Sox camp, sidelining Matt Barnes and sending others to quarantine | Boston Sports Journal Boston's fast-growing, fully-credentialed, flying-everywhere collection of professional journalists covering Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, Celt...

MARCH 27, 2021 • BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.COM

The Latest: Red Sox closer Matt Barnes tests positive

The Boston Red Sox say closer Matt Barnes has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be ready for opening day

MARCH 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red Sox pitcher Matt Barnes tests positive for COVID-19, will miss Opening Day "With the guidelines and protocols, it's a fire drill now."

MARCH 27, 2021 • BOSTON.COM

Red Sox pitcher Matt Barnes tests positive for COVID-19 - The Boston Globe Barnes will be away from the Red Sox for up to 10 days as they wrap up spring training. Pitcher Matt Andriese, who was scheduled to start Sa...

MARCH 27, 2021 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Tests positive for COVID-19 Barnes has tested positive for COVID-19, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Impact Barnes tossed 5.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts this spring and most recently pitched Thursday, but he'll now be away from the team following his positive test result. He isn't experiencing any symptoms, but manager Alex Cora said that Barnes will be away from the team for approximately 10 days. Adam Ottavino is a strong candidate to receive save chances over the first few games of the regular season while Barnes is sidelined.

MARCH 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Extends scoreless run Barnes struck out two over a perfect ninth inning in Sunday's spring game against Pittsburgh.

Impact Barnes authored his fourth scoreless outing of the spring and has struck out eight over 4.1 innings. Those numbers appear to be closer worthy, but manager Alex Cora still hasn't named one. Barnes and Adam Ottavino, who has allowed one unearned run in 4.1 innings, are in the mix. Each has pitched the ninth inning of a game, and while the ninth inning of spring contests often are not against a opponent's best hitters, it does give a pitcher a chance to prepare for closing.

MARCH 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

The season’s getting closer, so who’s the closer, Matt Barnes or Adam Ottavino? - The Boston Globe Both have been effective in their limited work during spring training, but manager Alex Cora says there is no hurry to name either one of th...

MARCH 21, 2021 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Forget '20, Red Sox look to go worst-to-first (again) in '21

There’s no team in baseball more eager to forget the 2020 season than the Boston Red Sox

MARCH 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Looks like closer in debut Barnes pitched a perfect inning, striking out two, in Sunday's spring game against the Braves.

Impact Barnes made his Grapefruit League debut Sunday, setting down the Braves in order in the fourth inning, including an inning-ending punch-out of Ronald Acuna. "That was impressive," manager Alex Cora told Ian Browne of MLB.com. "That was good. Velocity was up, I think a tick above last season, which was a good sign." He and Adam Ottavino have been mentioned as candidates to close out games, but Cora has not yet named a set closer.

MARCH 8, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Red Sox Notebook: Matt Barnes looks strong as closer competition begins On a minor league deal, Santana is unlikely to start the year with the Sox.

MARCH 7, 2021 • BOSTONHERALD.COM

Matt Barnes wants to be the closer - The Boston Globe Barnes is now in his final year before hitting the free agent market.

FEBRUARY 27, 2021 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Matt Barnes: ‘Absolutely mind-boggling’ that Jackie Bradley Jr. is still a free agent Jackie Bradley Jr. was still a free agent as of Saturday, more than a week since spring training camps opened around baseball, and that does...

FEBRUARY 27, 2021 • BOSTONHERALD.COM

Not yet confirmed as closer Boston manager Alex Cora was noncommittal on naming a closer, a role Barnes held for the final month of 2020, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Impact Barnes has performed a variety of roles over his seven-year career in Boston. He's thrown mostly in high-leverage spots the last four seasons and is expected to be used in the final third of games. Others in the mix at closer are Adam Ottavino, who has experience pitching the ninth inning, and Hirokazu Sawamura (visa issues), who closed in Japan.

FEBRUARY 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Yankees send Ottavino to Boston in rare trade with Red Sox

The New York Yankees made a rare trade with the rival Red Sox, sending struggling reliever Adam Ottavino to Boston along with minor league right-hander Frank German for a player to...

JANUARY 25, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red Sox's Devers agrees to $4,575,000 deal

The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a one-year, $4,575,000 deal to avoid salary arbitration with third baseman Rafael Devers

JANUARY 15, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red Sox reach deals with Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Austin Brice, and Kevin Plawecki Coronavirus Daily #s Town #s Deaths Map Charts Testing locations Resources Boston Hel...

DECEMBER 3, 2020 • BOSTON.COM

Red Sox reach deals with Barnes, Brasier, Brice, Plawecki

The Boston Red Sox agreed to one-year contracts that avoided salary arbitration with right-handers Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Austin Brice and catcher Kevin Plawecki

DECEMBER 3, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Schwarber, Bradley, Duvall among 59 cut in pandemic fallout

Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. were cut loose by the Chicago Cubs after helping the team win its first World Series title in more than a century, among 59 players who became...

DECEMBER 3, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Matt Barnes is back, but where does rest of Red Sox roster-building stand now? It’s a good time to examine the state of the Red Sox roster amid what could be another challenging and perhaps unpredictable offseason.

DECEMBER 3, 2020 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Gets $4.5 million from Sox Barnes agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Red Sox on Wednesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Impact The 30-year-old righty logged his worst ERA (4.30) since 2015, but he also notched nine saves in 24 appearances. He has proven to be a capable setup man, but he would probably open the year as Boston's closer if they don't add any superior relievers this offseason.

DECEMBER 3, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

McAdam: Matt Barnes will be the Red Sox' most interesting contract tender call | Boston Sports Journal Boston's fast-growing, fully-credentialed, flying-everywhere collection of professional journalists covering Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins, Celt...

DECEMBER 1, 2020 • BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.COM

Red Sox bringing Matt Barnes back would usually be an easy call. Not so now Barnes is a homegrown success. But because of the pandemic MLB economy, the Sox must consider letting him walk because of his rising cost.

DECEMBER 1, 2020 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Red Sox’ Matt Barnes ‘very excited’ for Alex Cora’s return You can include Matt Barnes among the Red Sox players who approve of Alex Cora returning as their manager.

NOVEMBER 7, 2020 • BOSTONHERALD.COM

Red Sox: The case for and against Matt Barnes as closer Should the Boston Red Sox keep Matt Barnes as closer? Matt Barnes is a rather rare item on the Boston Red Sox pitching staff since he is a p...

OCTOBER 12, 2020 • BOSOXINJECTION.COM