The Los Angeles Dodgers had something of a mid-May roster shakeup on Wednesday.
Top catcher/outfield prospect Dalton Rushing had been lighting up Triple-A pitching, and the Dodgers decided they could no longer hold the 24-year-old down in the minors. Something had to give, and that something was a beloved veteran who had been on the team since 2015.
On Thursday, the Dodgers announced that in the corresponding move for Rushing’s call-up, catcher Austin Barnes had been designated for assignment. Barnes was 9-for-42 on the year with an OPS+ of 48.
Barnes never played more than 102 games for the Dodgers in a single season, but he was still an instrumental part of both World Series teams of the past decade. He went from backing up Yasmani Grandal to Will Smith, and he had a few big moments along the way.
Dodgers fans will always remember Barnes’ performance in Game 3 of the 2020 World Series, which included a sacrifice bunt RBI and a solo home run, one of two in his postseason career. LA would go on to win the series in six games over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Barnes didn’t appear in the 2024 World Series, as Smith started all five games for the Dodgers in the 4-1 win over the New York Yankees.
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Debuting for the Dodgers in 2015, Barnes has accrued just over eight years of major league service time. It could be a battle from this point forward to reach the all-important threshold of 10 years, especially if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
There’s also the possibility Barnes could accept an outright assignment to the minors if he goes unclaimed, though he hasn’t played Minor League Baseball in any capacity since 2019.
Every great backup eventually sees his spot taken when the team is ready to give his at-bats to someone younger. But Barnes’ run with the Dodgers surely provided enough memories to last a lifetime.
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