Twins make lowkey move on ex-Blue Jays pitcher

The Minnesota Twins on Wednesday brought back right-hander Matt Bowman, signing the veteran reliever to a minor league contract and assigning him to Triple-A St. Paul. The 35-year-old previously pitched for Minnesota in 2024 and spent part of the 2026 season in the team’s system before opting out of his deal.

Bowman began this year with the Twins on a minor league contract signed during the offseason but exercised an opt-out clause after not making the Opening Day roster. He re-signed shortly afterward and performed very well at Triple-A, compiling a 1.69 ERA across 21.1 innings before using another opt-out in May. He then joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization, where he pitched for Triple-A Buffalo, recording a 10.38 ERA before being released on July 5.

Overall, Bowman has thrown 30 innings at the Triple-A level in 2026, logging a 4.20 ERA. His statistical profile has been better than that mark suggests, including a 26.8% strikeout rate, a 7.1% walk rate and a 54.3% ground-ball rate. He also carried a .325 batting average on balls in play and a 69.1% strand rate.

Over seven major league seasons, Bowman owns a 4.38 ERA over 240.2 innings with an 18.7% strikeout rate, an 8.0% walk rate and a 52.3% ground-ball rate.

During his first run with Minnesota in 2024, Bowman appeared in the majors and produced a 2.35 ERA with six strikeouts over 7.2 innings, although he also issued four walks before being designated for assignment and traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He later spent time with the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, making 20 relief appearances for Baltimore in 2025 while finishing with a 6.20 ERA.

The Twins bullpen has been a weak point all season, sitting at a major league-worst 5.25 ERA at the time of Bowman’s signing. Injuries to Anthony Banda, Cole Sands and Marco Raya have further weakened the relief corps.

With bullpen depth still a concern, Bowman’s latest return gives the Twins another experienced relief option as the team continues its playoff push.