Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes left Thursday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds after getting hit by a 95 mph fastball on the wrist, and teammate Clayton Kershaw did not like the way it all went down.
Los Angeles was up six runs in the ninth inning, and the Reds –– guided by manager David Bell –– intentionally walked center-fielder James Outman, bringing Barnes to the plate.
That’s when pitcher Ian Gibaut drilled him in the wrist with a fastball.
“It’s pretty ridiculous that they walked the guy in front of him in that situation,” Kershaw said, according to Dodger Blue. “I don’t agree with that, or a lot their manager did this series. I don’t think that was the right thing to do.”
Kershaw blanked the Reds in his seven innings pitched, striking out nine, as the Dodgers broke a four-game losing streak.
Barnes, on the other hand, didn’t seem to take issue with the sequence.
“I don’t worry about that kind of stuff. Whatever they’re going to do, play baseball, that’s fine,” he said to SportsNet LA.
While Barnes initially stayed in the game, gingerly shaking his right arm, he was eventually taken out before the bottom of the ninth to further evaluate the extent of the stinger.
“Barnesy is about as tough as they come. For him to even stop the game or come out of a game, that one got him pretty good,” Kershaw said.
The postgame X-rays eventually came back negative, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is not convinced Barnes is in the clear.
It’s unknown whether Barnes will move to the injured list yet.
“It didn’t feel too good. It seems like it’s alright. First test it seemed like there were no broken bones or anything,” Barnes said of his condition to SportsNet LA. “It hurt, though.”
The Dodgers will look to pull a catcher from the minors if Barnes becomes officially unavailable.
LA is back in action tonight against the Phillies, trying to reboot a winning streak.
