From a pure defensive point of view, you would be hard-pressed to find a better major league catcher than Austin Barnes. I mean, we’re talking about the guy that the current best pitcher in the game today uses as his own personal catcher. We are also talking about one of the nicest and humblest guys in the game today, as well. 

From a pure offensive point of view, Barnes is among the worst players – catchers or otherwise – in the game today, at least thus far into the 2023 regular season, which is roughly three-quarters completed.

Now, this most certainly isn’t meant to be disrespectful of the 33-year-old Fullerton, CA native and ninth-round draft pick in 2011 by the (then) Florida Marlins out of Arizona State University, but the numbers don’t lie.

In the 43 games in which Barnes has appeared in this season (primarily as a back-up to 28-year-old Dodgers catcher Will Smith), Barnes is slashing a dismal .216/.322/.340/.663, with zero home runs, six RBI, 11 walks, and 32 strike outs .

Make that one home run and seven RBIs, and it was a huge one.

In Thursday’s series finale against the NL Central first place Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium, the game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the eighth inning due entirely to an incredible pitching dual between 36-year-old Dodgers right-hander Lance Lynn and 28-year-old Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes, who allowed no runs and only four and two hits respectively.

The same cannot be said for 29-year-old Brewers right-hander Joel Payamps, who gave up an eighth-inning one-out 371-foot solo home run to Barnes for the game’s only – and winning – run. It was Barnes first home run of the season and his first since September 20, 2022.

“It’s been a grind this year,” Barnes said. “A lot of (edited) bad nights. It’s been a grind, but I’ve been feeling better lately and I’m just going to keep going.”

Welcome back, Austin, and please “keep going!”

Play Ball!

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