Good morning Mr. and Mrs. New England and all the Red Sox fans at sea. It seems the Sox are very happy with Matt Barnes and Matt Barnes kind of likes them too. On Sunday, the Sox announced the two sides reached an agreement on an extension that could keep the UCONN product under contract with Boston through the 2024 season.
Here to stay! The #RedSox today signed RHP Matt Barnes to a two-year contract extension that spans the 2022-23 seasons, with a club option for 2024. pic.twitter.com/qHMrGPQMo8 — Red Sox (@RedSox) July 11, 2021
Peaking after 30
At 31, Barnes is in the middle of what you would have to call his best season as a pro. The 2021 All-Star is sporting a 2.68 ERA and has 19 saves going into the break. His K rate is the highest in his career at 44.6 percent and his walk rate is a career-low 7.2 percent. All this without spider tack (chuckles) …. Be that as it may, the Sox decided to revisit Barnes’ contract he signed in December. One Year $4.5 Million. And replace it with one more fitting to the first time All-Star.
And now a message from All-Star closer Matt Barnes: pic.twitter.com/rDebssE91i — Red Sox (@RedSox) July 12, 2021
Drinks are on Barnes
Barnes will play out the remainder of 2021 on the $4.5 million deal he signed in December to avoid arbitration. With this new deal, he’ll receive a $1.75 million signing bonus, followed by salaries of $7.25 million and $7.5 million for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The 2024 club option is priced at $8 million. There is a $2.25 million buyout that can bump up by a maximum of $2 million based on Barnes’ games finished totals over the coming years.
(AP Photo) via Michael Dwyer
To make a long story short, it’s an $18.75 million guarantee that can max out at $26.5 million if he hits all the escalators and the Red Sox exercise the option. The average annual payout (calculated for you luxury tax peoples) checks in at $9.375 million. Red Sox Matt Barnes
Bloom’s not just a Pretty Face
Tying up Barnes now is a smart move; he’s been stellar the first half of 2021 and was set to be the hot ticket this offseason as a free agent. And I don’t know about you but there was a complete lack of “Sticker Shock” when seeing these numbers. Another solid move for the new Sox GM.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter at Tmurph207
Featured Image via AP Photo/Frank Franklin II Red Sox Matt Barnes