The Twins have released right-hander Matt Bowman, according to an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints (as noted by Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune on X). Bowman, 33, had been performing well with the Saints and recently exercised an opt-out clause (initially reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post). Minnesota had until Monday to add him to the 40-man roster but chose instead to let Bowman enter free agency.
This was Bowman’s second stint with the Twins this season. He signed a minor league deal with the team in January, was added to the big league roster in mid-April, and pitched 7 2/3 innings in relief, allowing only two runs but struggling with command. After being designated for assignment, he was traded to the D-backs for cash, marking the beginning of a series of transactions for Bowman in 2024.
Bowman was designated for assignment by the D-backs after three weeks, cleared waivers, and elected free agency. He then signed with the Mariners, was briefly called up, cleared waivers again, and re-signed with Seattle before opting out and returning to the Twins on another minor league deal. He is now a free agent once more.
This whirlwind of transactions reflects the journey many journeymen experience during a season. Bowman, who has played for six different MLB teams over six seasons, has pitched 15 innings this year with a 5.40 ERA and holds a career 4.22 ERA across 200 1/3 innings. Drafted by the Mets in the 13th round in 2012, Bowman has a below-average strikeout rate of 18.8%, a solid 8.3% walk rate, and an excellent 55.6% ground-ball rate.
At the Triple-A level this season, Bowman has been exceptional, posting a 2.05 ERA with a 28.9% strikeout rate and a 6.6% walk rate over 30 2/3 innings between Tacoma and St. Paul. Given his performance and respectable major league track record, Bowman is likely to attract interest from other teams looking for bullpen reinforcements in the final weeks of the season.
