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Blue Jays sign reliever to minor league deal
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- Blue Jays sign reliever to minor league deal
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The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a minor league contract with veteran right-handed reliever Matt Bowman Tuesday, with the 34-year-old (turning 35 on Sunday) expected to report to Triple-A Buffalo.
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Bowman most recently pitched in the majors in 2025 with the Baltimore Orioles , where he logged 20 appearances, recording a 6.20 ERA over 24.2 innings, along with a 0-1 record and a 4.76 FIP. Across his MLB career, he has made 231 appearances with a 4.38 ERA. He was originally selected by the New York Mets in the 2012 MLB Draft and has spent time with multiple teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , Seattle Mariners , Minnesota Twins , and Baltimore.
This season, Bowman opened with the Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul, compiling a 1.69 ERA over 21.1 innings. He amassed 26 strikeouts and six walks, along with a 2.91 FIP. He owns a 28.1% strikeout rate with a 6.7% walk rate. He also generated a ground-ball rate above 54-55%. However, his 7.1% swinging-strike rate is considered below average. Bowman eventually requested his release after opting out of his minor league deal when a major league opportunity did not materialize.
Pitching primarily as a multi-inning reliever in recent years, Bowman has been used as a "bulk arm" and is currently stretched for 2-3 inning outings. His repertoire includes a low-90s sinker, cutter, slider, splitter, sweeper, and four-seam fastball. His sinker has driven strong ground-ball production, while his sweeper has been highly effective in 2026, producing a 41% strikeout rate. Opponents were also 1-for-15 against his splitter in Triple-A action.
The move comes as Toronto manages bullpen injuries to Tommy Nance and Joe Mantiply . The Blue Jays relief group remains mid-tier statistically but carries a top-five strikeout rate, while depth options such as Chase Lee , Tanner Andrews, and Adam Macko remain on minor league options. With the 40-man roster currently full following Tanner Andrews' addition, Bowman would require a roster move if promoted.
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