Left-hander Charlie Barnes has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, per his MLB.com transaction tracker. The Dodgers designated the veteran for assignment on Saturday after righty Landon Knack returned from the 60-day IL. Barnes has been outrighted before, so he has the right to skip the assignment and elect free agency.
Los Angeles grabbed Barnes off waivers after the Cubs DFAed him in early May. He’s bounced back and forth between the big-league club and the minors. Barnes recorded a pair of scoreless innings to begin his Dodgers tenure. His final outing with the club didn’t go so well. The lefty was crushed for seven earned runs as a bulk reliever against the A’s on July 1. He was sent down the following day.
The 30-year-old Barnes returned to MLB after four seasons in Korea. His previous experience in the majors consisted of 38 innings with the Twins in 2021. Barnes was a workhorse for the Lotte Giants from 2022 to 2024, putting together three straight seasons of a mid-3.00s ERA and 150+ innings. He made eight starts last year, then signed a minor league deal with the Reds midway through the season. Barnes didn’t get called up by the Reds and moved on to the Cubs over the winter.
Barnes doesn’t have overpowering stuff, instead relying on a diverse five-pitch mix. He sits in the high-80s with the four-seamer and sinker. His secondaries include a slider, changeup, and sweeper. Barnes’ heater lacks ride, but has above-average armside movement.
While Barnes could explore other opportunities, he may choose to stick with a Dodgers club that frequently churns through bullpen arms. There’s a decent chance he’s called upon again to eat some innings in the majors if he remains in the organization.
Photo courtesy of William Liang, Imagn Images
