<
        >
          EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
          Get ESPN+

          Fantasy baseball closer stock watch: Matt Barnes rises up the ranks

          Getting a handle on his previous wildness has helped propel Matt Barnes into the fantasy baseball spotlight. AP
          • Eric Karabell, ESPN Senior WriterMay 4, 2021, 03:53 PM
            Close
            • ESPN contributor on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, Magazine
            • Charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame
            • Author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments"
            Follow on X

          Rostering Boston Red Sox RHP Matt Barnes back in 2019 was a wild ride. Oh, there were strikeouts, as only two relief pitchers registered more, but Barnes also permitted a flood of walks and home runs -- and nobody had more wild pitches. Barnes throws hard and relies upon a nasty curveball, but during that wild season (and the abbreviated one in 2020), it was tough to imagine him ever becoming a top closer, either for the Red Sox or for fantasy baseball investors. He was just too wild.