Athletics Sign Scott Barlow: Veteran Reliever Joins Oakland Bullpen

The Athletics just picked up a veteran late-inning arm, agreeing to a one-year deal with right-hander Scott Barlow. He’s guaranteed $2 million, with up to $1.3 million more in performance bonuses.

Barlow lands in a familiar spot—a steady, durable reliever who can help bridge to Oakland’s younger bullpen arms. Since their 40-man roster is already packed, Oakland will need to make a move to finalize the signing.

Over the last three years, Barlow’s thrown 191 1/3 innings across Kansas City, San Diego, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. He brings a mix of strikeouts, ground balls, and versatility that Oakland hopes will stabilize their late innings.

Barlow’s durability and pitching profile

Barlow’s durability is honestly rare in today’s relief market. He’s never hit the major league injured list, which is almost unheard of for relievers logging this many innings.

In the past three seasons, he’s piled up 191 1/3 frames, giving Oakland a reliable bullpen backbone. He’s handled fluctuating workloads and late-inning pressure without blinking.

• ERA: 4.28 over the span
• Walk rate: about 13% of batters faced
• Strikeout rate: roughly 26.3%
• Ground-ball rate: a steady 44.1%
• Durability: never on the injured list, which is pretty wild for a reliever in high-leverage spots

Even with a walk rate that’s a bit high, Barlow keeps getting outs thanks to his strikeouts and grounders. Statcast shows his exit velocity and hard-hit rate sit in the 90th percentile or better, so hitters just haven’t squared him up much late in games.

He doesn’t give up many home runs and suppresses hard contact, giving Oakland a pitcher who can deal with traffic on the bases without losing control of the inning.

Barlow’s repertoire and late-inning pedigree

Barlow leans heavily on a nasty sweeper, his main pitch, but he mixes in a four-seamer, slider, curveball, and sinker. He’s got a toolkit that lets him adapt to all sorts of late-inning situations.

Over the last three years, he notched 16 saves and 42 holds. That shows he can close games or just bridge to the next guy when things get tight.

A’s bullpen context: offseason moves and plans

The A’s haven’t made a ton of pitching moves this offseason. Besides Barlow, their biggest add was Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year, $2.85 million deal.

Leiter’s another veteran with bullpen chops who could fill a middle or back-end role. The pitching staff as a whole still lags behind the club’s position-player prospects, but Barlow and Leiter are expected to anchor a bullpen that’s got plenty of younger arms itching for a bigger shot.

• Other arms in the mix: Hogan Harris, Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado, Brady Basso, Mitch Spence, Grant Holman
• Roster context: the 40-man roster is full, so Oakland has to make a move to add Barlow
• Role expectation: Barlow and Leiter are likely the most experienced relievers, set to guide a group of developing talents

What this signing could mean for Oakland’s late-inning plans

• Stability in high-leverage situations—Barlow’s shown he can handle late innings for multiple teams
• Versatility to work as a bridge or even close when needed
• Strike-throwing upside—his strong ground-ball rate should help limit the damage when balls get put in play
• Mentorship value—with so many younger arms, having a guy like Barlow around could really help the group grow

Bottom line: how Oakland benefits from a seasoned addition

Scott Barlow brings a rare mix of durability and late-inning experience to the Athletics’ bullpen. He’s got a versatile pitching arsenal, and that’s not something you see every day.

The A’s need a steady, reliable arm for high-leverage innings, especially as they develop their younger pitchers. Barlow fits right in there.

If he keeps getting ground balls and limits his walks, he’ll probably become a key piece in Oakland’s relief corps. Honestly, his veteran presence and adaptability feel like exactly what the A’s were looking for in this pretty quiet offseason.

 
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