It’s clear bullpen has been a complete mess

BOSTON — When he surrendered a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning of a 10-5 loss against the Los Angeles Angels last Wednesday at Fenway Park, Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes didn’t hold back on his performance.

“A lot of that probably falls on me,” Barnes said afterward. “I’ve been terrible. I mean, let’s just call a spade a spade, right? So I’ve got to figure my [expletive] out. And we’re going to get there. I mean, I’m working on it every day and feeling better every day. The results are terrible, but we’re not going to stop. It’s definitely frustrating.”

Prior to signing his two-year, $18.75 million contract, Barnes averaged 15.1 strikeouts per nine innings, posted a 2.68 ERA to go along with a 0.86 WHIP through July 10.

In the 33 games since, including that hideous loss to the Angels during which he gave up a 10th-inning homer to pinch-hitter Taylor Ward, Barnes has had a 6.92 ERA, a 1.65 WHIP and is averaging 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

In his last two outings, Barnes has flashed an uptick in his velocity, but allowed two runs in his most recent encounter against the Chicago White Sox.

Wednesday night’s two-run walkoff homer by Atlanta’s Orlando Arcia represented yet another example of what the Sox have been clearly missing: A valuable closer.

On one end, the Braves had Kenley Jansen, who picked up his first win of the season, to command the ninth frame. On the other side, the Sox trotted out Ryan Brasier from the bullpen. The Braves signed Jansen to a one-year, $16 million deal in March. Barnes, meanwhile, continues to be buried in the bullpen, deployed only in low-leverage situations.

The Sox appeared to sit on their hands when it came to strengthening their bullpen this offseason, signing lefthanders Matt Strahm and Jake Diekman, who have struggled through injuries and performance issues. Neither is — nor, for that matter, is Barnes —the caliber of lockdown reliever as Jansen.

That was the sobering dose of reality as the the Sox absorbed their fifth walkoff loss of the season, the most of any team in the majors this year.

The Sox relievers entered the day tied for seventh in homers allowed (15), and had the eighthworst ERA (4.14). In high-leverage situations, per Fangraphs, the Sox have a 7.27 ERA.