Matt Barnes has officially announced his retirement from baseball. The veteran reliever for the Red Sox made this announcement on Sunday after spending 11 years in Major League Baseball, with the initial nine years of his career spent in Boston.
“When I look back at my baseball career, there isn’t a single I would change,” Barnes, 36, stated on Instagram. “I was able to live out not only my dream, but the dream of so many kids who pick up a baseball hoping one day they’ll hear their name called. For that, I’ll be forever grateful… baseball gave me more than I ever could have imagined.”
A look at Matt Barnes’s career
Barnes, a native of Bethel, Connecticut, was chosen in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Red Sox following an impressive performance at UConn.
He advanced through the minor leagues and made his debut as a September call-up for Boston in 2014.
Throughout the majority of his career, Barnes served as a reliable late-inning reliever for the Red Sox, highlighted by his selection as an All-Star in 2021, where he had an outstanding first half and concluded the season with a 3.75 ERA across 60 appearances.
However, Barnes’s most significant achievement with the Red Sox was his exceptional performances during the 2018 World Series, where he played a crucial role in securing the championship for the team.
Barnes permitted only one run in 8 2/3 innings and secured two wins in seven outings as the Red Sox triumphed over the Yankees, Astros, and Dodgers en route to winning the World Series.
“To the Red Sox organization. Thank you for believing in a kid from Connecticut,” Barnes stated. “You gave me the opportunity to wear one of the most iconic uniforms in sports, and I will always cherish that.
“Winning a World Series in Boston and experiencing Fenway Park as my home are memories I’ll carry the rest of my life.”
Before the 2023 season, Barnes was designated for assignment and completed his last two seasons with the Marlins and Nationals. He was designated for assignment again early in the 2024 season and chose to become a free agent, but he did not sign with another team.
Matt Barnes’ family and net worth: All we know about his wife and kids
Barnes and his spouse Chelsea have a son and shared a sonogram image two weeks before, revealing that they are expecting another child. The couple got married in January 2019.
His salary was said to be around $7,500,000 per year, including a $0 signing bonus, while his net worth is estimated to be around $29,916,615, as per Salary Sport.
