LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers claimed pitcher Charlie Barnes off waivers from the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, adding to their potential starting pitcher depth.
Barnes pitched once for the Cubs this season, allowing four runs (three earned) in three innings of bulk relief on April 13. Most of the left-hander’s work this season has been at Triple-A Iowa, where he had a 3.04 ERA in seven games, including four starts, with 27 strikeouts and 12 walks in 26 2/3 innings.
The 30-year-old pitcher pitched in the majors
in 2021 with the Minnesota Twins before heading to Korea to pitch four seasons for the Lotte Giants in the KBO. He put up a combined 3.58 ERA in 94 starts overseas, with 516 strikeouts and 166 walks in 553 innings. Barnes signed a minor league contract with Chicago in January.
Barnes entered the season with 37 days of major league service time, and is using his second option year, along with 2021. He was optioned twice by Chicago after opening day, and was in the minors when he was designated for assignment on Wednesday by the Cubs.
Though the Dodgers don’t expect Tyler Glasnow to miss much time on the injured list with back spasms, their depth is a bit tested after Blake Snell returns on Saturday. They have no other healthy starting pitchers on the 40-man roster other than Jake Eder, who was used solely in short relief during his three-week stint in the majors. Eder is starting on Saturday for Triple-A Oklahoma City after getting optioned on Wednesday, so presumably he’ll build back up.
To make room for Barnes on the 40-man roster, Tommy Edman was moved to the 60-day injured list. That means the earliest Edman could return is May 21, but he won’t be ready by then anyway. He’s behind fellow 60-day IL-er Kiké Hernández, who has already started his rehab assignment in Triple-A. Edman went through workouts at Dodger Stadium on Friday but has had a slow recovery from right ankle surgery in November.
