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Barlow picked up the save in Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Padres. He allowed no hits or walks while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning.
Hogan Harris was originally brought in for the save but struggled to find the zone, prompting manager Mark Kotsay to turn to Barlow with one out and two runners on base in a three-run game. The right-hander was up to the task, striking out Nick Castellanos before getting Fernando Tatis to fly out and secure the victory. It marked Barlow's first save of the campaign after he blew his previous opportunity March 28. It remains to be seen whether the veteran will regularly factor into the Athletics' unsettled ninth-inning equation, though he has posted solid marks with a 2.88 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 25 innings this season.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Earns first win
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Barlow (1-0) earned the win in Wednesday's 6-5 victory over the Angels. He allowed no hits or walks with a hit-by-pitch while striking out one over a scoreless inning.
Barlow was called upon in the ninth inning to keep the contest tied and send it to extra innings, a task he accomplished after working around a leadoff hit-by-pitch to Vaughn Grissom. Courtesy of an RBI single from Tyler Soderstrom and a scoreless 10th frame from Hogan Harris, Barlow was credited with his first win of the campaign. He hasn't factored much into the save equation after blowing his lone opportunity March 28, but the right-hander has still pitched to a 3.09 ERA and 0.86 WHIP across 23.1 innings. Walks have been an issue for the veteran over the past couple of seasons and flared up early in the current campaign, though he has posted a 9:1 K:BB across nine innings in May.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Logs another scoreless outing
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Barlow allowed no hits and a walk with no strikeouts over a scoreless inning in Thursday's win against the Royals.
The right-hander recorded the final out of the sixth inning and picked up two outs in the seventh before being lifted for Brady Basso. Barlow earned his sixth hold, as the Athletics bullpen combined for six innings of one-run ball in the victory following an early exit for Jeffrey Springs (hip). Barlow hasn't allowed a run across his past five appearances and has given up an earned run in just two of his 14 outings in 2026. Overall, the 33-year-old owns a 3.14 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with a 12:8 K:BB across 14.1 innings.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Pummeled for four runs Sunday
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Barlow allowed four runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out in Sunday's 12-10 win over the Astros.
With the Athletics leading 9-5 headed into the eighth inning, Barlow was brought on to protect the lead but allowed a solo homer to Jake Meyers, walked Joey Loperfido and Nick Allen and served up an RBI double to Jose Altuve before Barlow was yanked in favor of Mark Leiter. Leiter wasn't all that much better, walking Yordan Alvarez before allowing a two-run single to Cam Smith two batters later. Leiter was charged with the blown save, but most of the damage was charged to Barlow. Thought to be in the mix for saves with the Athletics, Barlow has an ugly 9.82 ERA and 1:3 K:BB through his first 3.2 innings this season.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Blows save in 10th Saturday
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Barlow was charged with his first blown save of the season Saturday, giving up an unearned run on a hit and a walk in the 10th inning of an 8-7 extra-innings loss to the Blue Jays. He struck out one.
After Elvis Alvarado, Hogan Harris and Michael Kelly made a hash of things in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to let the game get to extras, the A's grabbed a 7-6 lead in the top of the 10th and handed the ball to Barlow. He wasn't able to get to the job done, and he very nearly took the loss when Addison Barger's deep drive to right field fell a foot or two shy of being a walk-off homer rather than a game-tying sacrifice fly. The A's closer situation remains muddy, but Barlow at least has a 0.00 ERA through his first two appearances and 2.2 innings.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Should be in closer mix
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Barlow could begin the season as an option in the Athletics' closer committee, Jason Burke of SI.com reports.
The veteran right-hander joined the A's on a one-year, $2 million contract in February after posting a 4.21 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 75:45 K:BB over 68.1 innings for the Reds during the 2025 regular season. Barlow recorded one save and 16 holds, but he tallied 53 saves from 2021-23 and is an experienced high-leverage option for manager Mark Kotsay. The skipper shifted to a heavy committee approach last season after closer Mason Miller departed at the trade deadline, so the fantasy upside could be limited in this closing situation unless Kotsay's approach changes.
Athletics' Scott Barlow: Surrenders two runs in spring debut
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Barlow allowed two runs on three hits and no walks across one inning in Tuesday's Cactus League loss to the Brewers. He did not record a strikeout.
Barlow entered in the fifth inning to make his Athletics debut after signing a one-year deal with the club Feb. 6, and he allowed some hard contact, including a pair of two-out doubles by Tyler Black and David Hamilton that each drove in a run. The veteran right-hander is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 4.21 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with a 9.9 K/9 and a career-worst 5.9 BB/9 across 68.1 innings with the Reds. His 59 career saves will keep him in the mix for closing duties, though middling results in recent seasons offer little security as Barlow competes with fellow veteran Mark Leiter and younger options Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado and several other arms.
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Athletics' Scott Barlow: Nets one-year deal with Athletics
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The Athletics signed Barlow to a one-year, $2 million contract Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
He will have the opportunity to earn an additional $1.3 million in incentives. Barlow spent the 2025 season with the Reds, finishing the regular season with a 4.21 ERA and 75:45 K:BB over 68.1 innings. The 33-year-old hasn't had an ERA below 4.21 or WHIP below 1.36 since 2022, but with 59 career saves, Barlow has easily the most closer experience on the Athletics' roster. That alone should put him in the mix for saves, but even if Barlow wins the job, he will be a poor bet to retain it.
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Scott Barlow: Option not picked up
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The Reds declined Barlow's $6.5 million option for 2026 on Wednesday.
Barlow will receive a $1 million buyout instead. The veteran reliever made 75 regular-season appearances out of the Reds' bullpen, posting a 4.21 ERA and 75:45 K:BB over 68.1 frames. Barlow should be able to land a deal this winter to serve as a middle reliever.
Barlow will serve as the Reds' opening pitcher in Tuesday's contest versus the Blue Jays, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Nick Lodolo was scheduled to start but was scratched due to an illness, so the Reds will go with an impromptu bullpen game Tuesday. Barlow will likely pitch an inning or two before being followed by a slew of relievers.
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Reds' Scott Barlow: Collects first save of season
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Barlow walked one and struck out four over 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings to earn the save in Monday's 4-1 win over the Angels.
The Reds were a bit thin in the bullpen Monday, as all of Emilio Pagan, Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft had pitched Saturday and Sunday. Barlow stepped up for the four-out save, throwing 14 of 25 pitches for strikes. While this was his first save of 2025, Barlow had earned 58 saves from 2019-2024. He's added 13 holds and a blown save while pitching to a 3.54 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 61:34 K:BB across 56 innings. He's not the top option for ancillary saves, but Barlow remains part of the Reds' high-leverage mix.
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Reds' Scott Barlow: Returns from paternity list
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Cincinnati activated Barlow from the paternity list Saturday.
Barlow was placed on the paternity list Friday but is back with the team after just one day. Luis Mey, who was brought up from Triple-A to take Barlow's bullpen spot Friday, has been optioned back to the minors in a corresponding move.
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Reds' Scott Barlow: On paternity list
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The Reds placed Barlow on the paternity list Friday.
Barlow will be temporarily away from the team for personal reasons. While he's away, Luis Mey will fill the vacated spot in the bullpen. Barlow has a 3.53 ERA in 44.2 innings of relief this season.
Barlow, who has pitched to a 4.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 7:0 K:BB over eight innings this spring, could be an option to close games after Alexis Diaz (hamstring) was ruled out for the start of the 2025 season. "I don't think it's necessary that we name a closer," manager Terry Francona told Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday.
Francona said he hadn't "given it a ton of thought yet" and didn't seem in a hurry to settle on one arm in the ninth inning, saying, "We'll just see how we get there, and we'll do it the best way we can." Barlow has racked up 58 career saves to date, including a career-high 24 saves in 2022, but Taylor Rogers and Emilio Pagan also have past closing experience. Graham Ashcraft is also moving to the bullpen and has expressed to the club a desire to work toward the closer role. The club still wants Diaz "to be that guy," Francona said, but a strong performance by someone else in the meantime could change the equation.
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Reds' Scott Barlow: Latches on with Cincinnati
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Barlow agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Reds on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Barlow has posted a 4.25 ERA and 68:31 K:BB over 55 innings last season before being released by the Guardians in September. The 32-year-old's velocity and results have trended down the past two seasons, though he's still submitted a 27.2 percent strikeout rate over that stretch. In Cincinnati, Barlow should help set up for closer Alexis Diaz.
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