The Guardians have named right-handers Scott Barlow for the assignment, according to MLB.com’s Transactions Tracker. The left-hander will take his place in the 40-man roster and the active roster Anthony Gosewhose contract was selected according to Gose’s MLB.com player page.
Barlow, 31, was acquired by the Guardians last November in a trade with the Padres in which the right-hander Enyel De Los Santos to San Diego. Barlow, a longtime relief pitcher for the Royals who emerged as the club’s best leverage pitcher during the 2021 season, posted an excellent 2.30 ERA and 3.13 FIP in 148 2/3 innings between 2021 and 2022 while striking out 28.2% of batters faced and earning 40 saves.
Unfortunately, he took a step back in 2023 with a somewhat inconsistent season. While his numbers from his time with the Royals last year, including a 26.7% strikeout rate and a 4.04 SIERA, offered plenty of reason for optimism, he struggled to prevent runs, ultimately posting a 5.35 ERA in 38 2/3 innings before being sent to the Padres at the trade deadline. When he played in uniform with San Diego, Barlow pitched much better down the stretch, posting a 3.07 ERA and a 3.15 FIP in his final 29 1/3 innings last year. With that, Barlow seemed poised to fill a key role in the late innings for the Padres this year, but he was ultimately sent to the Guardians as part of an effort to trim the club’s payroll and avoid the 2024 luxury tax.
That allowed the Guardians to step in and take the opportunity to add Barlow to their already stellar bullpen, where he would serve as one of the best setup men for closers. Emmanuel Clase. For much of the season, the right-hander filled that role admirably, posting a 3.12 ERA and a 3.50 FIP in 43 1/3 innings through the end of July. Things took a sharp turn for the worse in August, however, and Barlow was mowed down with an 8.49 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. The right-hander has seemed lost on the mound for over a month, posting a 17.9% strikeout rate versus a 10.7% walk rate, along with three hit batters and two home runs in his last 13 appearances. As the Guardians look to fend off the Royals and Twins in the AL Central and earn a bye through the Wild Card Series in October, the club apparently felt it couldn’t afford to continue giving the right-hander an opportunity to get it right.
Barlow’s departure makes room for the 34-year-old Gose on the major league roster. Once a top-100 prospect as a hitter with the Phillies, he struggled through five major league seasons with a subpar .240/.309/.348 batting line in 372 career games and eventually decided to switch to pitcher. He resurfaced in the major leagues as a reliever in Cleveland in 2021 and impressed in a six-appearance Cup Coffee, striking out 37.5% of opponents and posting a 1.35 ERA. Gose had a respectable 3.90 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 27 2/3 innings as a pitcher when he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2022 and spent the entire 2023 season rehabbing.
Gose is now back in action with the Guardians. During a brief hiatus earlier this year, he allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings, but has posted a solid 3.27 ERA in 41 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. He will get another chance with the big league club down the stretch as he looks to establish himself as a viable relief option for the 2025 season, whether with Cleveland or elsewhere.
