This story was excerpted from Ian Browne's Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Eyebrows and voices were raised in Red Sox Nation when chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom didn’t add any relievers by the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline.

The move became easier to second guess when Tanner Houck, Boston’s closer, was placed on the injured list retroactive to Aug. 6 with back woes. The timetable for his return is unclear.

But it turns out there has been a bullpen acquisition. Just not one acquired from another team.

The old Matt Barnes -- the one who made the All-Star team by virtue of a tremendous first half last season -- has returned. And not a minute too soon. His last three outings, capped by a save on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, have been powerful. Barnes had two strikeouts in each of those one-inning outings, not allowing a run.

“That’s three in a row, three good ones in high leverage spots. So hopefully this is the beginning of something great,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

Downcast for weeks, Barnes is smiling again.

“It’s been awesome,” said Barnes. “The last six months, the end of last year and the beginning of this year, was a really frustrating time for me. A lot of struggles and I was kind of lost there for a little bit.”

Barnes didn’t just have a slump. He had a slump that seemingly wasn’t going to end.

Look at these numbers:

In 40 games from Opening Day of 2021 until Aug. 6 of that season, Barnes had a 2.54 ERA, 24 saves in 28 opportunities, a .179 opponents' batting average and 13.15 K/9.

In 36 games from Aug. 7, 2021 through May 30, 2022, Barnes had an 8.78 ERA, a .293 opponents' batting average and 9.76 K/9. He lost his closer’s job during that time period, converting only two out of five saves when he did get the chance.

Since coming off the injured list, Barnes has pitched five times, giving up one run in 5 1/3 innings. He has a 1.69 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.

What keyed the turnaround?

After that game on May 30, Barnes was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. He missed the next 60 Red Sox games. It might have been the best thing that ever happened to him.

Pitching on a Minor League rehab assignment for three different affiliates from July 9-29 allowed Barnes to work with coaches throughout the organization in a non-pressurized environment.

“It’s a lot of effort, starting with him, he put in the work and when he was down there [in Fort Myers, Fla.,] with his rehab, and Julio [Rangel] and Walter [Miranda] and everybody got involved and it looks like the body is moving better, a little bit faster than early in the season and last year towards the end. It seems like he’s trending in the right direction,” said Cora.