Dodgers Claim Charlie Barnes Off Waivers From Cubs
The Dodgers claimed Charlie Barnes off waivers from the Cubs, and charlie barnes is back on a 40-man roster after Chicago designated him for assignment on May 6. Barnes had spent most of the 2026 season at Triple-A before the move.
Charlie Barnes Returns to Los Angeles
Los Angeles took Barnes after his brief run with Chicago, turning a minor-league deal into another shot in the majors. He signed with the Cubs in January and opened the year in Iowa before getting added to the active roster on April 12.
That call-up led to one appearance against the Phillies on April 13. Barnes entered in the sixth inning, gave up three runs in his first inning, then finished the final three innings with four runs allowed, three earned, on four hits and three walks with one strikeout.
Cubs Move After April 13
He needed 62 pitches to get through that outing, and 33 were strikes. The numbers show why Chicago pushed him off the roster nine days later and why Los Angeles could still view him as depth rather than an immediate rotation answer.
Barnes has made seven Triple-A appearances in 2026, including four starts, with a 3.04 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 27 strikeouts and 12 walks across 26.2 innings. That is a different profile from his lone big-league outing this year, and it gives the Dodgers a pitcher who has been throwing regularly while waiting for another opportunity.
Twins, Korea, and Back
This latest stop also adds another layer to a career that has moved across organizations and leagues. Barnes pitched nine games for the Twins in 2021, then went to the Lotte Giants in December 2021 and spent 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Korea before returning to the United States in mid-2025.
He later signed a minor-league deal with the Reds, worked as a starter with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, elected free agency, and then landed with Chicago. Before all of that, the left-hander was a fourth-round pick by Minnesota in the 2017 MLB Draft and had gone 22-18 with a 3.72 ERA and 304 strikeouts in 355.2 innings over 72 minor league appearances.
For the Dodgers, the immediate move is simple: Barnes is in the organization again and back on a 40-man roster. For him, the next step is just as clear — prove the April 13 line was a snapshot, not the ceiling.
