Former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes has officially been released by the rival San Francisco Giants, per the MiLB transaction log.
Barnes made 10 appearances with Triple-A Sacramento, batting .212 with a .509 OPS.
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Barnes was released by the Dodgers on May 20 to make room for top prospect Dalton Rushing to serve as the new backup catcher in LA.
During his tenure with the Dodgers, Barnes stood out for his consistency over 11 seasons and for being a reliable and necessary piece of the ball club. He was a great teammate in LA and a staple in the clubhouse.
Mookie Betts spoke on Barnes’ role after his release from the team.
“(Barnes) was always the jokester, cracking jokes, getting guys going, stirring the pot,” Betts said at the time. “You need a guy in there that everybody kind of looks to. When everybody’s sitting around, Barnesy was the guy who got everybody engaged, got everybody talking.”
Barnes made his MLB debut in 2015, making 20 appearances with the Dodgers, and then appeared in 21 games the following year. The 2017 campaign proved to be pivotal for Barnes, hitting .289 with an OPS of .895 on the way to helping the Dodgers secure a National League pennant.
Perhaps the backstop’s best statistical run in the postseason came in 2020, batting .320 with a home run in his 10 appearances. He helped hoist the seventh franchise championship for LA that season, and did so once again in 2024.
The 35-year-old will now look for his next employer as he hopes to extend his professional baseball life.
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Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
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