The White Sox reassigned Barlow (shoulder) to minor-league camp Wednesday, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.
Barlow came into camp with a decent shot at a bullpen job as a non-roster invitee but then came down with a shoulder injury. It's not clear at this point how long he might be sidelined.
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White Sox's Joe Barlow: Sidelined with shoulder soreness
Rotowire
Barlow will be sidelined indefinitely after being diagnosed with right shoulder soreness Thursday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Fellow reliever Jimmy Lambert is also battling shoulder soreness and is expected to miss 10-to-14 days, while Barlow's absence is expected to be longer. The former Ranger is in camp as a non-roster invitee and could have pitched his way into a prominent role given the uncertainty in the White Sox's bullpen, but now his status is cloudy.
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White Sox's Joe Barlow: Hooks up with White Sox
Rotowire
Barlow signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Friday.
Barlow had a rough 2023 campaign, posting a 4.66 ERA in 13 appearances with the Rangers and a 5.52 ERA across 32 outings at the Triple-A level in the Texas and Kansas City organizations. The 28-year-old was a key reliever for the Rangers from 2021 through 2022, collecting 24 saves while holding a 2.81 ERA and 55:25 K:BB over 64 frames. The White Sox will hope to get the latter version of Barlow.
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Royals' Joe Barlow: Clears waivers
Rotowire
The Royals outrighted Barlow to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday after he cleared waivers.
After being claimed off waivers from the Rangers on Aug. 4, Barlow pitched exclusively with the Royals' Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. He proceeded to give up 16 runs (13 earned) on 26 hits and six walks over 12.2 innings with Omaha before the Royals determined he was no longer worthy of a 40-man roster spot. After going unclaimed off waivers, Barlow will stick around in the Royals organization and will look to right the ship at Omaha.
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Royals' Joe Barlow: Pushed off 40-man roster
Rotowire
Barlow was designated for assignment by the Royals on Friday.
Barlow has been lit up for 16 runs -- 13 earned -- in 12.2 innings of relief at the Triple-A level since the Royals claimed him off waivers from the Rangers in early August. The 27-year-old is off the 40-man roster and back in DFA limbo.
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Royals' Joe Barlow: Claimed by Kansas City
Rotowire
Kansas City claimed Barlow off waivers from the Rangers on Friday and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha.
Barlow was designated for assignment last weekend after the Rangers acquired Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton from the Cardinals. The 27-year-old reliever showed a lot of early promise with Texas in 2021-2022, but he has logged just 9.2 major-league innings this season and was sporting an underwhelming 4.21 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 25:10 K:BB across 25.2 innings for Triple-A Round Rock.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: DFA'd by Texas
Rotowire
Barlow was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Sunday.
The right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock in early July and has now lost his place on the Rangers' 40-man roster. Barlow tallied 13 saves for Texas last season but had a 4.66 ERA this year before being demoted, and he wasn't particularly impressive at Triple-A with a 4.21 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 20 outings.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Loses roster spot
Rotowire
Barlow was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Barlow has been used some at closer by the Rangers the previous two seasons, but he hasn't found success this year with a 4.66 ERA in 13 relief appearances. He'll head to Round Rock and try to earn another shot.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Reinstated off injured list
Rotowire
Texas reinstated Barlow (illness) off the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Barlow missed just over the minimum 15 days on the injured list while dealing with kidney stones. The right-hander should return to a mid-to-late innings role in the Texas bullpen now that he's healthy. Owen White was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Initiates rehab assignment
Rotowire
Barlow (illness) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday and struck out one over a perfect inning of relief in an appearance against Salt Lake.
Barlow is first able return from the 15-day injured list early next week and looks as though he could be in line for activation near his eligibility date if he can turn in another strong rehab appearance or two. The right-hander was shelved in late May after he was diagnosed with kidney stones, but he's apparently made a swift recovery.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Placed on IL with illness
Rotowire
Barlow was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to May 29, with kidney stones, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Barlow will be out for at least the next two weeks. He has allowed two earned runs on four hits and one walk in 3.1 innings of relief this season at the MLB level.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Makes season debut
Rotowire
Barlow pitched a scoreless third of an inning in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to Atlanta.
Barlow was called up this week and made his season debut Wednesday. He was Texas' closer for stretches in 2021 and 2022, notching 24 saves, but was held back this spring in Arizona due to a velocity drop before joining Triple-A Round Rock. He went 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA over 11 relief appearances for the Express, and manager Bruce Bochy said he's comfortable using Barlow in high-leverage situations. That indicates Barlow could be thrown into the setup mix, which has not performed well of late, including Wednesday when Josh Sborz and Brock Burke combined to blow a 5-3 lead in the eighth and ninth innings.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Rangers recalled Barlow from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday.
Barlow has been solid in 11 minor-league appearances this year, posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 15 strikeouts through 13.2 innings. His strong 2023 campaign combined with his historically solid MLB resume could warrant him a few high-leverage outings with the Rangers. Cody Bradford was optioned to Round Rock in a corresponding move.
Barlow was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Barlow has recorded double-digit saves in both of his MLB campaigns to date and owns a career 2.81 ERA, so the decision comes as something of a surprise. His ERA estimators, including a 4.73 xFIP and a 4.21 SIERA, tell a much different story about his performance, but he's cruised to a 2.16 ERA this spring while striking out 13 batters in 8.1 innings. Per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, Barlow's decreased velocity this spring is a main reason for the demotion, with the Rangers hoping some mechanical tweaks in the minors will sort things out.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Adds new pitch
Rotowire
Barlow (wrist) is working on adding a split-finger fastball, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
The pitch isn't totally new, as Barlow toyed with it in 2018, when the Rangers had former closer Bryan Harvey in camp to teach the pitch to some of the team's young hurlers. Barlow only threw about five back then, but the right-hander's picking it up again to give him a pitch that moves arm side. It's still a work in progress, which will be deployed this spring with a fastball, slider and curveball repertoire. That Barlow is throwing means he's over the November surgery to correct Linburg-Comstock syndrome, a condition that prevents the thumb and index finger from working independently.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Undergoes wrist surgery
Rotowire
Barlow underwent surgery Friday to separate a pair of fused tendons in his right wrist and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training in February, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Barlow dealt with blister issues throughout 2022, and the wrist procedure is expected to help curtain those problems. The right-hander served as Texas' closer during the first half of the season and converted 13 of 17 save opportunities, but he landed on the injured list in July shortly after being demoted from the role. He finished the season with a 3.86 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 28:13 K:BB across 35 innings.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
Barlow (finger) was activated from the 15-day injured list Friday.
Barlow recorded two strikeouts during his lone rehab appearance in Triple-A Round Rock. He hasn't made a big-league appearance since Aug. 17, which itself came after another month-long stay on the IL, with both absences due to blister issues. Brett Martin was placed on the bereavement list to free up a spot on the roster for Barlow.
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Rangers' Joe Barlow: Positive results in rehab
Rotowire
Barlow (finger) struck out two in a scoreless inning Saturday during his first rehab appearance at Triple-A Round Rock.
The rehab appearance was a promising one, as he retired the side on 14 pitches. Barlow is expected to make another appearance for Round Rock on Tuesday or Wednesday.
