The Red Sox have two Matt Barneses pitching for them

            There are two Matt Barneses pitching for the Boston Red Sox. There is home Matt Barnes who has five wins and a 1.47 ERA. He has 40 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. He’s given up only five earned runs on 19 hits and eight walks (0.88 WHIP). Then there is away Matt Barnes.

            Away Matt Barnes has a 5.20 ERA in 27.2 innings. He’s given up 16 earned runs on 20 hits and 18 walks (1.37 WHIP). He’s struck out only 25 batters.

            Last night, Barnes pitched effectively in a high-leverage situation. He was hitting corners, striking Luke Voit and Randal Grichuk out on three pitches each when he entered the game in the sixth inning. Seventeen of his 22 pitches were thrown for strikes.

            But then there have been times this season on the road where Barnes hasn’t been effective at all, leaving pitches up in the zone without any break. On August 13 against the Yankees in New York, Barnes couldn’t hit the side of a barn, walking two batters and allowing one hit and one run. There was a game in June against Kansas City where Barnes was completely ineffective, walking two batters and allowing two runs before getting the quick pull. On July 9 in Tampa, he threw 12 pitches, seven for balls, and lasted only one out after walking one and allowing one hit.

            It’s night and day for Barnes between pitching at home and on the road.

            There really is no explanation for it either. MassLive sports quoted John Farrell as saying he has talked to Barnes about it and that “Clearly, he’s comfortable on the home mound.” I asked Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal during last night's game. He had no explanation other than a confidence thing.

            Why now though? Why this season? Last season, Barnes was actually better on the road. He had a 1.28 WHIP on the road during the 2016 season along with a 3.64 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. That compares to his 1.49 WHIP at home and a 4.38 ERA. 2015 was even more drastic. Away, Barnes had a 2.01 ERA in 22.1 innings. He had a 1.57 WHIP and batters hit .304 against him, but those numbers look great compared to his home stats. At home, he had a 1.74 WHIP and a 9.15 ERA, giving up 21 earned runs on 28 hits in 15 games (two starts).

            It raises questions as to why all of a sudden he’s pitching so much better at home than away. What makes it more comfortable? How does comfortability change his deliverance?

It’s tough to see the team’s most vital pitcher outside of Craig Kimbrel have so much trouble away. It makes me wonder how Farrell will use him come playoff time. Will Barnes see time only at home? Will he still get the eighth inning role away? In Game 7 of the ALCS? The World Series? (Getting ahead of myself really).

For how dominant the Red Sox bullpen has been this season, they’ve done so without a dominant setup man. Makes you wonder how important the role really is and how the way bullpens are shaped in today’s game…