The Mariners and right-handed pitcher Matt Bowman have reunited once more on a minor league contract. Bowman recently became a free agent but quickly joined the Tacoma Rainiers, where he pitched a scoreless inning in his latest outing.
Bowman, aged 33, has had a turbulent season moving between teams. He initially signed a minor league deal with the Twins and joined their roster in mid-April. However, he was soon designated for assignment and traded to the Diamondbacks for cash after a brief stint with Minnesota. His time with the Diamondbacks also ended with a DFA, leading to his free agency. He then signed with the Mariners on another minor league deal and was promoted to their roster shortly after. However, he was DFA’d again shortly thereafter and chose free agency once more.
Throughout these transactions, Bowman has accumulated 15 innings pitched in the majors across three teams, posting a 5.40 ERA. His strikeout rate of 15.2% and walk rate of 10.6% have been below average, but he has maintained a solid ground ball rate of 46.8%.
Injuries, including recovery from Tommy John surgery, sidelined Bowman from pitching during the 2020-2022 seasons. He returned to the mound last year and had a productive season in Triple-A with the Yankees, pitching 58 2/3 innings. This year, he has added nine more innings in Triple-A, combining for a 3.46 ERA and a 23.5% strikeout rate, though his walk rate remains high at 11.1%.
Despite these challenges, Bowman has received limited opportunities in the majors, primarily due to exhausting his final option season with the Yankees in 2023.
The Mariners currently have four relievers on the injured list, which includes Gregory Santos, Matt Brash, Jackson Kowar, and Gabe Speier. Brash and Kowar underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year and are out for the season. With just 38 players on their 40-man roster, the Mariners have the flexibility to recall Bowman when needed to bolster their bullpen.
