Barnes struck out one over a perfect inning in Tuesday's spring training game against the Rays.

EDGE Analysis

Barnes worked the fifth inning and made quick work of Curtis Mead, Yandy Diaz and Ji-Man Choi during his first Grapefruit League outing. The goal for the Red Sox in 2022 is to build back a better Barnes, so to speak. The right-handed reliever cruised as Boston's closer through the first half of last season, but he faltered spectacularly down the stretch and lost the job altogether before being left off the ALCS roster. Tuesday was a promising start toward the goal of reclaiming his old role, but manager Alex Cora suggested earlier in camp that he may not name a closer until just before the start of the regular season.