Clayton Kershaw had class act response to Dodgers DFA’ing longtime personal catcher

Although the Dodgers were briefly willing to carry three catchers on their roster for a stint this season, when Hunter Feduccia was called up to take Freddie Freeman's spot, No. 1 prospect Dalton Rushing's promotion necessitated a bigger change. The Dodgers parted ways with backup catcher Austin Barnes, the longest-tenured position player on the roster, which will allow Rushing to step into the role for the foreseeable future.

The move wasn't surprising if you look at Barnes' efficacy on both sides of the plate, but it's long seemed like the Dodgers would stick with him through the duration of his contract (which is up at the end of this season) because of his seniority and his relationship with Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw has never outright refused to be caught by anyone other than Barnes, but the two have been a regular battery since 2017.

Ahead of his return from the IL on Saturday, Kershaw had some emotional parting words on the Barnes DFA: "It's sad. Barnesy's one of my best friends on or off the field. You won't find a guy that competes better than Austin Barnes. [...] It's sad to see someone like that go who's been here that long, and I think we all kind of feel it."

Clayton Kershaw's response to Austin Barnes being DFA'ed will get Dodgers fans in their feels

Kershaw made sure to give a shoutout to Rushing, and clarify that he understood the move, saying, "It's no disrespect to Dalton. I know he deserves it, and he's going to be a great player." Rushing made his MLB debut on Thursday, batting seventh in the Dodgers' order. He picked up his first two hits and scored three runs.

Dave Roberts also praised Barnes' many years with the club and said the decision was a difficult one. "Austin is a guy that's far beyond the numbers," he said, "He's a glue guy. He held guys accountable. He was tough. He had a very innate ability to get big hits, and he was respected across the board."

Barnes' roster spot has long felt tenuous, given his lackluster performances at the plate and Rushing and Feduccia's development through the minors. Still, he's been praised as a key clubhouse presence throughout his Dodgers tenure, and his success with Kershaw will always be something he can point to and hang his hat on.