This earned him a look by the Chicago White Sox, who placed him on their AAA Buffalo Bisons American Association team.

On 22 April 1997, he drove in his 1,574th run, breaking the Mexican League record set by Héctor Espino.

After he broke the all-time career RBI record, his old team Diablos Rojos organized an appreciation for him in the capital, at their old stadium, Parque del Seguro Social.

The umpires disagreed and the Mexican League fined the Tigres MX$1 million for defaming Barrera.

For the first time in his career, Barrera failed to hit a home run in the 2002 season.

He was electrocuted when he accidentally touched a metal sheet that was in contact with some high voltage wires.