Often overlooked in Major League Baseball’s never-ending rumor mill is what the players themselves think of the scuttlebutt.
Take the Boston Red Sox, for example. Many are in agreement that the club should target a reliever ahead of Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline, which obviously suggests there’s room for improvement in Boston’s bullpen.
Matt Barnes has a different opinion of the Red Sox’s relief unit, though. In an interview Sunday with WEEI’s Rob Bradford and NBC Sports Boston’s Evan Drellich, the Sox reliever insisted Boston has the best bullpen in baseball.
Here’s Barnes’ exchange with Bradford, via WEEI.com:
Bradford: Do you have as good a bullpen as the (New York) Yankees?
Barnes: Yes.
Bradford: Do you have the best bullpen in baseball?
Barnes: Yes. We’re there.
Of course, you’d expect Barnes to think highly of his bullpen mates. And while his assessment probably is a stretch, considering how loaded the Yankees’ bullpen is, it’s not too far off: Boston’s 3.40 relief ERA ranks third in the American League behind New York and the Houston Astros, and closer Craig Kimbrel is second in the AL with 33 saves.
“We’re very confident in ourselves out there, and we think we’re going to get the job done more often than not,” Barnes added.
So, does that mean Barnes, who’s enjoying his best MLB season to date with a 2.35 ERA through 45 appearances, doesn’t think the Red Sox should add another bullpen arm? The 28-year-old didn’t go quite that far.
“It’s going to be a decision that (Red Sox president of baseball operations) Dave (Dombrowski) and (manager) Alex (Cora) and the front office decide to make,” Barnes said. “If they want to bring in a reliever, that’s what they’re going to do.”
We’ll find out soon enough whether Dombrowski and Co. hold the same opinion as Barnes.
