The Orioles announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Matt Bowman. Righty Tyler Wells was placed on the 60-day injured list in the corresponding move, as Wells is expected to miss at least the first couple of months of the season as he recovers from a UCL-related surgery last June.
Bowman saw big league action for four different teams in 2024, delivering a 4.40 ERA over 30 2/3 combined innings with the Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Orioles. Baltimore was the last stop in that transactional carousel, as Bowman posted a 3.45 ERA in 15 2/3 innings for the O’s after his minors deal was selected to the active roster in August. The Orioles outrighted Bowman after the season and he elected free agency, only to re-up with the team on another minor league contract in December.
That new minors deal contained an opt-out clause that could’ve been triggered today, Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner writes. Technically, today’s move just continues the Orioles’ control over the right-hander and doesn’t officially guarantee that he’ll be included on the team’s Opening Day roster.
But, Bowman made a solid showing in the Grapefruit League by posting a 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings across six appearances, so it would appear as though he will likely end up breaking camp. He is also out of minor league options, which might’ve also helped his case in making the roster if the O’s didn’t want to try and sneak him through waivers. For making the big league roster, Bowman would receive a $1.1MM salary, as well as another $400K in available incentives.
Bowman is a veteran of six MLB seasons, though he didn’t play at all during the 2020-22 seasons while recovering from a Tommy John surgery and other injuries. Bowman had a 4.02 ERA and a 56.6% grounder rate over 181 1/3 relief innings for the Cardinals and Reds from 2016-19, and a 4.93 ERA in 34 2/3 innings since returning from his injury hiatus in 2023. His grounder rate over the last two seasons is a more modest 44.4%, and he’ll likely need to bump that number back over the 50 percent mark since Bowman isn’t a big strikeout pitcher. That said, he has shown a much greater ability to miss bats in the limited sample size of his work this spring, whiffing 10 batters over his 6 2/3 frames of work.
I’ve seen Bowman be really good, then inconsistent, then really good.
That is what inconsistent means
Lol
I don’t see it posted so I’m doing it here. Heart goes out to the Brett Gardner family. Their 14 year old son apparently got sick and died on a family vacation.
nypost.com/2025/03/23/sports/yankees-great-brett-g…
Tragic. I hurt for Brett and his family.
Matt Bowman was pretty reliable back in day for Cardinals. Mike Matheny flat wore the man out over his time in St Louis
More like warm orioles news. Not a good offseason at all
When you don’t know ball
He’s been really solid as an Oriole other than an appearance vs NYY last year and again this spring both of which he was clobbered.
Literally #40 on the 40 man. Gonna be on a really short leash. If he’s decent great if not this move will assure he accepts the assignment
Much rather have Bowman on the team instead of the “master Baker!”
The Orioles converted a “lose-him-for-nothing” scenario into a “keep-him-until-we-need-the-roster-spot” play. Bowman’s lack of minor league options actually secured his short-term spot rather than hurting him—counterintuitive roster game theory at its finest.
A “tempting the dog until you get bit” reliever last year. If you remove two absolutely atrocious outings (2.1 IP, 9 ER, 10H) you have a guy with a sub 2 ERA over 28 IP…. That leaves 17 appearances where he was unscathed and a couple where he gets nipped like any other reliever. Only one of the blowups was for the Orioles and they won that game…would have been 2 ER over 15.1 IP otherwise. Why not?
When “but” begins the sentence, it shouldn’t have a comma after it.