Steve Barr

Career

After finishing at Carson High School in Carson, California, Barr was chosen by Boston in the seventh round of the 1969 MLB draft. During his sixth season in the Red Sox farm system, 1974, he posted a 16–8 record with a 2.45 ERA and 15 complete games for the Double-A Bristol Red Sox. He led the Eastern League in wins and earned an All-Star spot. Called up that September, Barr made his MLB debut by tossing a complete game 7–4 win over the Cleveland Indians, giving up seven hits and six walks.

The next season, he started at Triple-A Pawtucket and got a brief July trial with the pennant-bound Red Sox, appearing in three games (two starts) where he allowed ten hits, four walks, and nine runs—only two earned—in six innings. Back at Pawtucket, he managed a 2.92 ERA despite a 6–12 record. On November 17, he was traded with outfielder Juan Beníquez to the Texas Rangers for future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins. In 1976, Barr spent the whole season on the Rangers' roster, pitching in 20 games (ten starts).

His first start, on April 13 against the defending AL West champion Oakland Athletics, was a complete game 3–1 victory with four hits allowed and seven strikeouts. He added two more complete games that year but finished 2–6 with a 5.59 ERA. The Seattle Mariners selected him with the 54th pick in the 1976 expansion draft, but he never made their big-league roster, spending 1977 and 1978 in Triple-A before retiring after ten pro seasons.

Over his 24 MLB games, Barr surrendered 88 hits and 57 walks in 83 innings, striking out 32 and completing four of his 13 starts. He is the uncle of pitcher Ryan Madson. Barr died January 31, 2024.