The Dodgers didn’t wait long to circle back on Charlie Barnes.
After designating the left-hander for assignment last weekend, Los Angeles has brought him back on a minor league deal, according to the club’s transaction log on MiLB.com. Barnes cleared waivers, was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and then chose free agency instead of accepting that assignment. A few days later, he was back in the Dodgers’ system and assigned once again to Oklahoma City.
Barnes’ return comes after a short but eventful run with the Dodgers. He was claimed off waivers from the Cubs in early May and sent straight to Triple-A OKC, where he made seven starts and posted a 5.65 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 28.2 innings. He also logged three big league appearances for Los Angeles, giving up seven runs in nine innings for a 7.00 ERA.
His most recent outing for the Dodgers came in a scheduled “bullpen” game on July 1 against the Athletics. Barnes entered in the second inning and wound up covering seven frames. Afterward, manager Dave Roberts praised the effort, saying, “Charlie did a nice job for what was asked of him,” and added, “For him to be able to save everyone else puts us in a great position for the four games this weekend.”
Barnes, though, wasn’t exactly celebrating the line score. “It’s tough for me to enjoy it when you give up seven,” he said.
“That’s part of the business. I did my job in providing length.
Any time they need that or may want that, I’ll do my best to give it to them.”
Before landing with the Dodgers, Barnes opened the 2026 season in the Cubs organization on a minor league deal. He started at Triple-A Iowa and put together a 3.04 ERA across seven appearances, including four starts, with 27 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. Chicago also used him once in the majors, and he allowed four runs, three earned, over three innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Barnes’ path back to Los Angeles has been a winding one. The Minnesota Twins drafted him in the fourth round in 2017, he debuted with Minnesota in 2021, and then he spent four years in the Korea Baseball Organization before returning to the majors this season. For now, he gives the Dodgers another arm at Triple-A while he waits for the next call.
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