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Another former Dodgers World Series champion cut within days of Opening Day
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- Another former Dodgers World Series champion cut within days of Opening Day
The New York Mets released catcher Austin Barnes from his minor league contract March 23, two days before the first game of Major League Baseball 's regular season.
MORE: Dodgers cut World Series champion three days before Opening Day
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Barnes, 36, slashed .313/.389/.500 in eight Grapefruit League games. The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers backup is a superior pitch-framer and blocker behind the plate. At his age, he hopes to continue his career when many are forced to retire.
After being released twice in the last year — in May 2025 by the Dodgers, then in August by the San Francisco Giants — Barnes was hoping to latch on in Queens as the backup to Francisco Alvarez.
Barnes becomes the second recently umemployed stalwart of the Dodgers' 2020 World Series team that ended the franchise's 32-year championship drought. Veteran utility player Chris Taylor , 35, was released by the Los Angeles Angels on March 20.
Barnes told the New York Post on March 18 that he was hoping to extend his major league career to a 12th season.
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"I just want to play baseball," Barnes told Mike Puma in the Mets' spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida. "I'm gonna go out there and see what happens. I think I still have some ball left in me, so I just want to keep going."
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