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Red Sox: Matt Barnes blowup is an awful look for Chaim Bloom

By Staff

BOSTON, MA - JULY 03: Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox Chaim Bloom talks by the phone during Summer Workouts at Fenway Park on July 3, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 03: Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox Chaim Bloom talks by the phone during Summer Workouts at Fenway Park on July 3, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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The Red Sox signed closer Matt Barnes to a two-year contract extension during the season, but he’s imploded ever since.

Barnes blew another save on Monday when the team needed him most, giving up four hits and two earned runs while recording just one out. This is just another in a long line of bad outings of late for the Red Sox closer, leading some to recommend Boston look elsewhere to fill that role.

So where might Alex Cora find a new closer? Should he look on the roster, Adam Ottavino, Garrett Whitlock and Hirokazu Sawamura are the obvious choices to replace him.

Red Sox: Chaim Bloom giving Matt Barnes an extension looks like a mistake

Sure, the Red Sox can afford a Bloom extension, but if they move away from him at closer, it will undeniably be looked at as a mistake. It doesn’t help the Red Sox essentially stood pat at the trade deadline while the rival New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays made huge additions.

Barnes allowed 11 runs from Opening Day until August 4. Since then, he’s allowed nine runs, and his August ERA is over 15.00.

The veteran reliever has taken full responsibility for his recent inefficiency, but if anything it speaks to Bloom jumping the gun on signing him to an extension. The 2021 All-Star had very little closer experience before this season, notching just 15 saves through age 30.

This isn’t to say he isn’t capable, but for a general manager so hesitant to spend money or make additions, re-signing Barnes looks like a whiff at the moment.

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