Boston Red Sox: Matt Barnes proving his worth in Boston

Heading into 2019, Matt Barnes was expected to have a big role out of the Boston Red Sox bullpen. Barnes has been incredible so far in 2019 and has been huge for the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox bullpen had a lot of question marks heading into the 2019 season.

Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly are no longer on the team, leaving the Red Sox without two of the biggest pieces from their 2018 World Champion bullpen.

The Boston Red Sox bullpen was superb in the playoffs last season, but many people questioned how well they would perform without Kelly and Kimbrel. The team didn’t sign anybody to replace the two power arms, proving they had trust in their current core.

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Matt Barnes was expected to have a huge role out of the bullpen this year, which was considered to be risky due to Barnes’ inconsistency throughout his career. Entering 2019, Barnes was just 2 for 8 in save opportunities in his career. His best season came in 2018 where he posted a 3.65 ERA and struck out 96 batters in 61.2 innings.

However, this season, Barnes has been spectacular.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.76 ERA and has struck out 28 batters in 15.1 innings. Barnes holds a 49.1 percent strikeout rate, second in the major leagues to Josh Hader. Opposing hitters are hitting just .164 against Barnes and his WHIP stands at an insane 0.85.

He has shared time as both a closer and a set-up reliever with Ryan Brasier but has consistently outperformed Brasier. He is easily the most important piece out of the Red Sox bullpen and remains Alex Cora’s most reliable option in high-leverage situations.

Barnes’ success crucial for the Red Sox moving forward

The Boston Red Sox have not had a pretty season. The starting rotation has been miserable thus far. The team’s starter ERA is 4.91, 10th in the American League. However, guys like Chris Sale and Rick Porcello have begun to pitch better as of late, and the Red Sox are back to .500.

Many people expected the Red Sox starters to have a terrific year and the bullpen to be a weakness, but the opposite has happened. Thanks to guys like Barnes, Brasier, Brandon Workman, Marcus Walden, and Heath Hembree, the Red Sox have the fifth-best bullpen ERA in the American League.

However, Barnes has been the guy Cora has relied on most in big moments. If Barnes continues to dominate in big moments, guys like Workman, Walden, and Hembree can continue to dominate in the sixth and seventh innings. Matt Barnes is certainly the leader of this group and is critical to this team’s success moving forward.