Former UConn ace Barnes among those players who agree to terms
BOSTON — The Red Sox’s offseason plans came a bit more into focus Wednesday evening.
The Boston Globe confirmed the team agreed to terms with four of its five arbitration-eligible players before the non-tender deadline: Matt Barnes, Kevin Plawecki, Ryan Brasier and Austin Brice. The fifth player, Rafael Devers, is under contract for 2021 and will be tendered.
Arbitration-eligible for the first time, the Sox and Devers have two months to settle on a salary. Otherwise, the sides will go to an arbitration hearing.
Barnes, entering his final year before free agency, will earn $4.5 million. Plawecki is set to earn $1.6 million in his second year of arbitration, while Brasier and Brice will reel in $1.25 million and $870,000, respectively, in their first.
There was much speculation that the Sox would non-tender Barnes, who displayed some inconsistencies with his fastball and breaking stuff at times and didn’t have his best season, tossing 23 innings with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.391 WHIP. However, a part of that might have been due to a nontraditional buildup to a 60-game season. Barnes put together a solid September, compiling a 2.70 ERA, 15 strikeouts, and four walks in 11 appearances (10 innings) — proof of what he can be when he’s on.
Brasier came into 2020 hoping for a redemptive season, his stellar 2018 feeling long ago after his ERA more than tripled, to 4.85 ERAin 55 ⅔ innings, the following year. He found some of that old form last year, when he compiled a 3.96 ERA, struck out 30 batters in 25 innings and saw a slight uptick in his velocity from 96.4 mphin 2019 to 96.7.
Backup catcher Plawecki, meanwhile, found success at the plate, hitting .341 in 89 plate appearances, giving the Sox offense a much-needed boost in the absence of some of their quality hitters. He struggled behind the plate, though, allowing 12 stolen bases out of 16 attempts.
Brice, traded from Miami to the Red Sox in January, had a 5.95 ERA in 19 ⅔ innings.
Also Wednesday, the Chicago Cubs claimed right-handed reliever Robert Stock off waivers. Stock pitched parts of the 2020 season with the Red Sox, compiling a 4.73 ERA in 13 ⅓ innings of work. Hewas designated for assignment Nov. 25, making room to claim righthander Joel Payamps off waivers from Arizona.