The Royals announced Thursday that they’ve signed veteran righty Scott Barlow to a minor league deal. The Warner Sports Management client was released by the A’s earlier in the week. He now returns to the organization with which he made his major league debut in 2018.
Barlow didn’t just debut with the Royals but rather established himself as a quality big league reliever over parts of six seasons. The now-33-year-old righty was briefly one of the game’s top bullpen arms during his Kansas City peak. From 2021-22, Barlow notched 40 saves and 20 holds while posting a 2.30 ERA in 140 2/3 MLB frames. He fanned 28.2% of his opponents against a solid 8.4% walk rate between those two seasons.
Since being traded from Kansas City to San Diego amid a down season in 2023, Barlow has gone on to pitch for the Guardians, Reds and A’s. He signed a one-year, $2MM pact with the latter of that trio this winter in hopes of rebuilding some stock in a wide-open bullpen mix. Instead, like we’ve seen with many other pitchers, he was shelled at the Athletics’ makeshift home park(s).
Barlow now stands as one of the most extreme examples of this phenomenon. In 15 2/3 innings between West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park and Summerlin’s Las Vegas Ballpark — the A’s played briefly at their own Triple-A stadium this summer — Barlow was decimated for a 12.64 ERA. Opponents bashed six home runs in that time (four in West Sacramento, two in Summerlin). On the road, it was another story entirely. Barlow tossed 17 2/3 innings and registered a pristine 1.02 ERA. An eventual return to Kansas City’s pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium can only do him some good.
This year’s 12.5% walk rate is a problem, but it wouldn’t be especially surprising if some of that stemmed from trying to nibble to avoid the long ball in the launching pads where he played his home games. Barlow walked 15.1% of his opponents while pitching at home during his A’s tenure. On the road, it was a far more manageable 9.1%.
Beyond the stunning home/road splits, the Royals were likely encouraged by Barlow’s bat-missing ability. His 19.1% strikeout rate is a career-low mark, but Barlow recorded a big 13.8% swinging-strike rate — significantly higher than the league-average 11%. His opponents posted an awful 67.7% contact rate, nowhere close to the league average of 77%. Based on those numbers and Barlow’s career 27% strikeout rate, it seems fair to think that more punchouts could be on the horizon.
There’s no risk for the Royals taking what amounts to a free look at a veteran reliever who once starred as their closer. The A’s are on the hook for the remainder of Barlow’s $2MM base salary. Any remainder of the $1.3MM he had available to him via incentives went out the window when he was released. On this new deal, the Royals would only owe Barlow the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster. That sum would be subtracted from what the A’s owe.
Kansas City’s bullpen has been the worst in baseball by measure of ERA. Their 5.40 mark is marginally worse than the division-rival Twins, who rank 29th with a collective 5.37 mark. The Royals have gotten nothing from high-priced closer Carlos Estevez in 2026. He’s pitched only one-third of an inning and has been on the injured list since March. Setup man Lucas Erceg has fumbled in his stead, collecting 12 saves but also blowing six opportunities en route to a 5.23 ERA. Veteran Matt Strahm, acquired from the Phillies in the offseason, hasn’t helped. He’s sporting a 5.53 ERA.
The Royals have gotten good work from Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber, but the broader bullpen ineptitude is one of the primary reasons this season has spiraled away from them. At 35-52, they have the American League’s worst record and are only one game ahead of the MLB-worst Rockies in the standings. Perhaps Barlow can help stop the bleeding, but the season appears beyond saving at this point. He could give the Royals a steadying presence in the season’s second half, and if he can get going and show some success in the majors over the next 32 days, he might even be tradeable for a small return.
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