Matt Barnes, former Red Sox All-Star, retires: ‘More than I ever could have imagined’

Matt Barnes has made his goodbye to baseball official. The longtime Red Sox reliever announced his retirement on Sunday after 11 years pitching in the big leagues — with the first nine of them coming in Boston. “When I look back at my baseball career, there isn’t a single I would change,” Barnes, 36, wrote on Instagram. “I was able to live out not only my dream, but the dream of so many kids who pick up a baseball hoping one day they’ll hear their name called. For that, I’ll be forever grateful… baseball gave me more than I ever could have imagined.” Matt Barnes #32 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the seventh inning of a game against the New York Yankees on August 12, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Getty Images Barnes, a Bethel, Conn. native, was selected in the first ro