Barlow cleared waivers after being designated for assignment and is now a free agent. The veteran reliever could catch on with a new team for the final weeks, but he would not be eligible for the postseason roster. Barlow has posted a 4.25 ERA and 68:31 K:BB over 55 innings this season.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: DFA'd by Cleveland
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The Guardians designated Barlow for assignment Sunday.
Barlow has struggled since the start of August with 11 earned runs allowed across 11.2 innings, and it will cost him his place on the roster. The veteran right-hander had a 3.12 ERA in 50 outings this season prior to that stretch, so he could land somewhere for the final weeks of the season, though he won't be playoff eligible with a different organization.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Bounces back with third win
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Barlow (3-3) allowed a walk in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the extra-inning win Tuesday over the Tigers.
Barlow was on the hook for the loss Monday, but he was better Tuesday as the Guardians evened the series at one game apiece. The right-hander's biggest problem this season has been with free passes -- he has a 5.3 BB/9 and a 1.35 WHIP. Barlow is still finding plenty of success with his slider and curveball, which collectively account for nearly 70 percent of his pitches. This is the second year in a row he's had significant struggles with his four-seam fastball, which opponents have batted .360 and slugged .520 against in 2024. With a 3.58 ERA and 17 holds, Barlow has yet to lose out on high-leverage looks, but all of Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin and Cade Smith have produced better results while seeing similar usage, though Barlow's 12.7 K/9 is tops on the team.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Takes loss Monday
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Barlow (2-3) allowed a run on two hits and a walk over one-third of an inning, taking the loss versus the Tigers on Monday.
Barlow put runners on the corners before giving up the lone run of the game on a fielder's choice. He allowed just two runs over 12.1 innings from the start of June through July 4, but he's given up another two runs over his last two appearances. Barlow is at a 3.68 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 53:20 K:BB through 36.2 innings while adding two saves and 17 holds. Barlow is part of the mix for setup duties, but his lofty walk rate continues to hold him back compared to many of Cleveland's other relievers.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Notches second save
Rotowire
Barlow struck out the side in the ninth inning of Monday's win against Baltimore, logging his second save of the season.
With closer Emmanuel Clase pitching the previous two days for Cleveland, Barlow was called upon in the ninth to preserve a one-run lead. The 31-year-old made the most of his opportunity, but he will see few save chances while Emmanuel Clase his healthy. Barlow owns a 3.66 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and a 44:17 K:BB over 32 innings this season, adding 16 holds and two saves.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Collects 15th hold
Rotowire
Barlow pitched a perfect inning to earn a hold in Tuesday's 8-5 win over the Royals.
Barlow has given up six runs over his last seven innings, but he's also picked up seven holds over nine appearances in that span. He's been a little shaky all season, as evidenced by a middling 3.91 ERA to go with a 1.34 WHIP and 34:12 K:BB through 25.1 innings, but Barlow still leads the Guardians with 15 holds. He's maintained a setup role while adding one save and a 2-2 record, though Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis have been more reliable parts of the bridge to closer Emmanuel Clase.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Snags second win
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Barlow (2-2) allowed a hit and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless inning to earn the extra-innings win Saturday over Atlanta.
Barlow took care of business in the bottom of the 10th inning, and Cleveland pulled ahead in the 11th. It's a fourth straight scoreless outing for Barlow, who has two wins and two holds in that span. The setup man is at a 3.46 ERA, 1.38 wHIP and 15:8 K:BB through 13 innings overall, though he's improved after a rocky start to 2024.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Picks up win Tuesday
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Barlow (1-2) struck out one without allowing a baserunner over two-thirds of an inning to earn the win Tuesday over the Red Sox.
Barlow entered with one on and one out in the top of the seventh inning. The baserunner, Rob Refsnyder, was erased when he was caught stealing, and Barlow struck out Enmanuel Valdez to end the inning. The Guardians then rallied ahead in their half of the frame. After a rough start to the season, Barlow has limited opponents to one run on three hits and a walk over his last 5.1 innings. It is notable that he entered the game with the Guardians behind while Hunter Gaddis, who has worked himself into the late-inning mix, pitched the eighth. Barlow is at a 4.09 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 13:7 K:BB through 11 innings overall, adding a save and five holds through 12 appearances.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Nabs first save
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Barlow struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 10-7 extra-innings win over the Red Sox.
Barlow has been shaky this year, but he showed no trouble in protecting a three-run lead in the 11th inning. He threw nine of 14 pitches for strikes. This was his third consecutive scoreless outing, and it earned him his first save of the season after Emmanuel Clase failed to lock things down in the 10th. Barlow has a 4.32 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 9:6 K:BB with four holds through 8.1 innings this season.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Takes second loss
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Barlow (0-2) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one over one inning to take the loss Tuesday versus the White Sox.
Barlow gave up a two-run double to Dominic Fletcher in the eighth inning, and that was the decisive play of the game. Barlow entered Tuesday with three consecutive scoreless outings, but he's been a bit shaky in a high-leverage role. He has four holds and two losses through six appearances while pitching to a 6.35 ERA and 2.12 WHIP over 5.2 innings. With pitchers like Nick Sandlin and Hunter Gaddis starting the season well, continued struggles from Barlow could see him drop a couple of spots in Cleveland's bullpen hierarchy.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Sloppy early in season
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Barlow (0-1) took the loss Sunday versus the Athletics, allowing a run on two hits and a walk over one-plus innings while striking out one.
Barlow pitched a perfect eighth inning but allowed three straight baserunners aboard to start the ninth. Eli Morgan then walked the only batter he faced, which forced in the decisive run. It's not unusual for Barlow to be tasked with getting more than three outs at a time, so his usage Sunday isn't particularly noteworthy. The big concern here is that he's allowed two runs and walked three batters over two innings to begin the season. Barlow is projected to be a setup man to closer Emmanuel Clase, but he could lose those assignments if he can't get on track quickly. Morgan and Nick Sandlin are also experienced relievers who could be in the mix for high-leverage work.
Barlow has allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three over three Cactus League innings.
Barlow's a veteran, so his rough start to spring shouldn't lead to too much panic. He struggled a bit in 2023, pitching to a career-worst 4.37 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP and 79:34 K:BB over 68 innings between the Royals and the Padres. His 3.19 FIP last year suggests he was somewhat unlucky, which is a silver lining. Barlow offers ninth-inning experience -- he has 56 career saves and has also added 48 holds. Despite the spring struggles, he should serve as the primary setup man to closer Emmanuel Clase.
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Guardians' Scott Barlow: Reaches deal with Guardians
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Barlow signed a one-year, $6.7 million deal with the Guardians on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
The Guardians acquired Barlow from the Padres in mid-November, the second time in the calendar year he was dealt. It was a disappointing 2023 season for the reliever -- he posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.40 WHIP across 68 innings -- but he had been reliable for a few years prior. If Barlow can bounce back, he should occupy a high-leverage role in Cleveland's bullpen.
Cleveland acquired Barlow from the Padres on Friday in exchange for Enyel De Los Santos.
Barlow posted a rough 5.35 ERA through his first 38.2 innings with the Royals in 2023, but he turned it around to the tune of a 3.07 ERA across 29.1 innings following an Aug. 1 trade to San Diego. The 30-year-old right-hander should be a setup option for the Guardians next season.
Barlow earned a hold against Colorado on Wednesday, striking out three batters in 1.2 scoreless innings.
After being acquired in a trade with the Royals on Tuesday, Barlow saw his first action as a Padre on Wednesday, coming on with San Diego holding a 4-1 lead with one out in the sixth frame. The right-handed reliever's own error put a runner on base in that inning, but that was the only misstep by Barlow in an impressive outing during which he threw 15 of 20 pitches for a strike and fanned three batters. Josh Hader is entrenched as the Padres' closer, so Barlow probably won't have many chances to add to the 13 saves he notched while with Kansas City, but he should still see plenty of high-leverage situations as a bridge to Hader.
