Red Sox Notebook: Frustration and “underestimation” for Barnes as battles pile up

While Boston pitcher Matt Barnes, in the middle, continues to struggle, manager Alex Cora still plans to use him closer. Michael Dwyer / Associated Press

To Matt Barnes, August didn’t look like it could get worse after the rescue saved on Monday. But it only took a day before it hit another low point.

The Red Sox have won a couple of unnecessarily dramatic wins in consecutive days and an extra win over the Rangers on Monday, after which 11-9 will survive the twins on Tuesday. Both have come despite Barnes, who seems lost and desperately looking for answers as he struggles through the collapse of the other half of the hill. After the first half of his career, which made him the All-Star for the first time, Barnes has collapsed so badly that his position as close to the team could be in jeopardy. His ERA in August now sits at 15.88 5 2/3 in turn.

It’s a big problem that needs an immediate solution as the Red Sox battle for the playoffs over the last 35 games of the regular season.

“I think frustrated is probably a bit of an understatement,” Barnes said Tuesday when he faced three strokes and didn’t record a set. – It’s been a tough week. … It’s a frustrating game. I don’t know if you’ll find someone who is more frustrated than I am right now. “

Tuesday night went quickly south to Barnes when his second field for Josh Donaldson with a 95 mph fast ball above the zone just where Barnes wanted was smashed to the left homer, making it a two-stage game. Barnes then lost the strike zone. He walked Luis Arraez on four pitches, forcing Director Alex Coran to visit the hill before Mitch Garver walked. Cora saw enough as he pulled him to Hansel Robles, who saved Barnes and the Red Sox by pulling all three hits.

“After all, it’s about winning ball games,” Barnes said. “Easy and simple. I chose a bad time to suck, but it’s about winning ball games. Even in my struggle over the last couple of nights, the guys have come off the switch to pick me up and we won both ball games, which I think is really important.…

“I’ll keep grinding, man. We have 30 odd games left, just over a month before the afterglow. I’m going to keep working. It won’t end now. “It doesn’t end now.I work with Bushy (quick coach Dave Bush), I work with AC (Jason Varitek)… let’s see if something’s going on.Let’s see if we can do something, find something.We keep working.We keep working.It’s kind of the end result . ”

Could Barnes be absent from the role of a loved one, even for a short time as he clears things up? Garrett Whitlock rose superbly to Barnes on Monday, and Robles fought the twins 10 times before switching to the Red Sox. Both they and Adam Ottavino, who has closure experience, can be candidates if they change direction.

Cora said before Tuesday’s game that she would continue to Barnes late, but the manager admitted the Red Sox is worried about her after another poor performance. Barnes is open to any role he’s asked to, but he’s sure he’s getting himself right.

“I leave this decision to AC and Bushy (quick coach Dave Bush),” Barnes said. “I’m ready whenever the phone rings. We will continue to work. We are going to get this right. Make no mistake, this will be fixed and I will go back to what I was three weeks ago. I have no doubt about that. “

TUESDAY Against Minnesota, the Red Sox led 4-3 at the top of the fifth set. The twins had a runner on second position with two sets when starting pitcher Tanner Houck was replaced by Josh Taylor.

Taylor threw the 95 mph sink to Twins third baseman Luis Arraez, who dropped third and finished early in the round. Boston softened his lead by five laps at the bottom. In the sixth installment, Martin Perez took Taylor. The teams made eight more runs, and Boston held the victory 11-9.

Winner pitcher? It was Taylor who threw just one throw. Boston used seven passers in the match. Two players were arrested and Hansel Robles, who started the ninth round, rejected. Tanner Houck, the starter who got 14 out, didn’t get a decision.

This is the third time this season that the pitcher has won one field: Yankees Joely Rodriguez (August 1) and Oakland’s Deolis Guerra (April 21).

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