Mason

Barnett

Barnett was staked to an early three-run advantage, but wound up giving it all back in the fourth inning when Brayan Rocchio came through with a two-run double before José Ramírez added a game-tying single a couple batters later. He finished with four strikeouts and also issied four walks. He’s not a recommended fantasy option when he closes out the season with a home matchup against the Astros on Thursday.

Barnett will start tonight’s game against the Guardians. Normally we can’t recommend streaming pitchers with a 7.08 ERA, and today will be no exception.

Barnett was pelted for six runs across 2 2/3 innings on Monday night and has an ugly 7.08 ERA on the season. With Jeffery Springs (hip) due back to take his rotation spot, the Athletics opted to get some bullpen reinforcements up in the meantime.

Barnett gave up seven hits, walked four and struck out two. He fell to 1-4 with the loss. After another poor outing, Barnett has allowed 16 runs in 11 innings (13.09 ERA) over three starts so far in August. With Jeffrey Springs (hip) returning this week, Barnett could be the odd man out in the starting rotation.

Barnett served up a two-run homer to Junior Caminero in the first inning. The Rays brought a third run in to score in the third before adding three more in the fourth on home runs by Taylor Walls and Yandy Díaz. Barnett’s day would be done after four frames. He failed to record a strikeout. The 25-year-old right-hander will take a bloated 6.16 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and a 36/20 K/BB ratio across 38 innings into a start against the Royals in Kansas City on Monday.

He pitched into the fifth inning for the second time as a major leaguer, but left with the bases loaded and the Reds wound up cashing in two inherited runs by walking twice with the bases loaded against Elvis Alvarado. Barnett’s got decent enough stuff to succeed in this role -- he had a 31 percent Whiff rate and only allowed four hard-hit balls -- but if all the hard-hit balls go over the fence, it’s not ideal. He’ll try to bounce back against the Rays next week.

Springs’ hip has been a problem since at least April, though this is his first IL stint of the year. It’s not yet clear whether this will be a brief rest to try to get him closer to 100 percent or if he’s being shut down. The left-hander has a 6.17 ERA in 22 starts this year. With Springs going down, both Mason Barnett and Jack Perkins should keep starting for now. One was expected to be removed from the rotation with J.T. Ginn back.

All of the runs came in the fifth after a leadoff HBP and three groundball hits, only the first of which was a hard-hit ball. The big blow, a two-run double by Ceddanne Rafaela, could have at least been knocked down by Tommy White at third, even if it wasn’t turned into an out. Barnett allowed just one hit and one walk prior to the fifth. His ERA increased tonight, but it was a solid showing that should help his chances of getting another start. Whether that happens right away will probably hinge on J.T. Ginn’s availability as he looks to return from the IL next week.

Barnett gave up four hits, walked one and struck out two. The 25-year-old had been starting exclusively at Triple-A, but the Athletics opted to have him follow an opener against the Twins on Saturday. Barnett came in during the third inning. He was able to hold the Twins off the scoreboard until the sixth inning when a two-out two-run Alan Roden single accounted for the only runs in the game. Barnett is lined up to face the Red Sox at home next Thursday.

Barnett has exclusively been starting in Triple-A but has only pitched out of the bullpen in the Majors this year. He’s taking J.T. Ginn’s place on the roster, and Ginn was set to start on Friday against the Twins, but there is no indication yet if Barnett will make that start in his place. It would make sense since Barnett was scheduled to start on Thursday in Triple-A.