The Orioles introduced that they’ve chosen the contract of right-hander Matt Bowman. Righty Tyler Wells was positioned on the 60-day injured checklist within the corresponding transfer, as Wells is predicted to overlook not less than the primary couple of months of the season as he recovers from a UCL-related surgical procedure final June.
Bowman noticed large league motion for 4 completely different groups in 2024, delivering a 4.40 ERA over 30 2/3 mixed innings with the Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Orioles. Baltimore was the final cease 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 chosen to the lively roster in August. The Orioles outrighted Bowman after the season and he elected free company, solely to re-up with the staff on one other minor league contract in December.
That new minors deal contained an opt-out clause that might’ve been triggered on Sunday, Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner writes. Technically, Sunday’s transfer simply continues the Orioles’ management over the right-hander and doesn’t formally assure that he’ll be included on the staff’s Opening Day roster.
However, Bowman made a strong exhibiting within the Grapefruit League by posting a 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings throughout six appearances, so it might seem as if he’ll seemingly find yourself breaking camp. He’s additionally out of minor league choices, which could’ve additionally helped his case in making the roster if the O’s didn’t need to attempt to sneak him by waivers. For making the massive league roster, Bowman would obtain a $1.1M wage, in addition to one other $400K in obtainable incentives.
Bowman is a veteran of six MLB seasons, although he didn’t play in any respect in the course of the 2020-22 seasons whereas recovering from a Tommy John surgical procedure and different accidents. Bowman had a 4.02 ERA and a 56.6% grounder fee over 181 1/3 reduction innings for the Cardinals and Reds from 2016-19, and a 4.93 ERA in 34 2/3 innings since coming back from his damage hiatus in 2023. His grounder fee during the last two seasons is a extra modest 44.4%, and he’ll seemingly must bump that quantity again over the 50 p.c mark since Bowman isn’t an enormous strikeout pitcher. That stated, he has proven a a lot higher means to overlook bats within the restricted pattern dimension of his work this spring, whiffing 10 batters over his 6 2/3 frames of labor.
