3 overreactions to Week 1 of Dodgers' spring training: LA should make some changes

Austin Barnes really shouldn't be the Dodgers' backup catcher

We've already said a lot about Austin Barnes and how he doesn't deserve to be on the 40-man roster. He's been a Dodger for nine seasons and the team clearly has their reasons for keeping him, despite the fact that he's a .219 career hitter and didn't put up great numbers behind the plate last year either. It could be a clubhouse thing; a guy who's been with the team for so long is bound to know the pitching staff and the organization very well.

Even if he feels that his job and Opening Day roster spot are completely secure, the Dodgers might consider otherwise. In nine at-bats, the second most any Dodger has taken so far, Barnes has only gotten one hit down and has struck out five times, the most of any Dodger. Meanwhile, NRI catcher Chris Okey, a minor league signing for the team this offseason, has hit a home run and driven in five in only four at-bats.

Sure, there are a lot of moving parts here. Barnes has started in three games while Okey has come in during later innings, which means that Barnes might be seeing higher-caliber pitching. However, he also doesn't exactly have a wealth of exceptional hitting during regular seasons to back him up. The Dodgers still owe him $7 million over the next two years (team option for 2025), but maybe they should consider eating the cost and letting a better hitter come up to the majors.