Why Matt Barnes Left Before Red Sox-Marlins Spring Training Game

Former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Barnes has no intention of being present against his former club during Tuesday night’s spring training game with the Miami Marlins.

The 32-year-old, who spent the entirety of his nine-year big league career with the Red Sox, was designated for assignment back in January, shortly before Boston swapped Barnes with the Marlins in exchange for left-handed reliever Richard Bleier. At the time, Barnes called his departure “bittersweet,” revealing that the adjustment process would be “weird.”

So why did Barnes elect to take a leave of absence rather than hang around to greet a few former teammates? Well, his answer was short and simple.

“I’m not going to stick around for the game,” Barnes told reporters, according to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. “I’ll be buddy-buddy when we play them in June.”

Making a premature departure might get the conspiracy theorists riled up, however, Barnes clarified that there’s no bad blood between him and the Red Sox.

“I’m not mad and I don’t have any animosity toward the Red Sox organization,” Barnes said. “… The people at the top were so great to me.”

Barnes spent a long-tenured period calling Fenway Park home. The UConn product and Connecticut native was selected 19th overall by the Red Sox in the 2011 MLB draft. And over the course of his run in Boston, Barnes won a World Series and notched an All-Star Game appearance.

He will make his Fenway Park return this upcoming season when the Red Sox host the Marlins for a three-game series starting on June 26.