Right-hander Matt Bowman has exercised the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Twins, as per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Bowman isn’t an Article XX(B) player but he has a similar opt-out provision in his contract, so Minnesota now must decide between adding Bowman to the Opening Day roster or letting the reliever re-enter free agency.
Bowman allowed one hit over two scoreless innings in the Twins’ 7-3 win over the Braves today, and the righty has yet to be charged with an earned run over 7 1/3 frames of work in Spring Training. His spring work also included three more scoreless innings for Israel’s team during the World Baseball Classic.
It makes for an awfully strong case for a roster spot, yet Bowman is one of multiple pitchers competing for what appears to be just one opening in Minnesota’s bullpen. According to The Athletic’s Dan Hayes, the Twins look to be going with Taylor Rogers, Kody Funderburk, and Anthony Banda as the three left-handers, and Justin Topa, Cole Sands, Zak Kent and Eric Orze as the right-handed contingent. Dan Altavilla, Cody Laweryson, and Trent Baker are Bowman’s primary competition for the last bullpen assignment, and Hayes suggests that Altavilla is “likely in the lead.”
If Bowman doesn’t break camp with the Twins, another move will be on the horizon for a player who has generated seemingly half of MLB Trade Rumors’ content over the last couple of years. Bowman pitched at the big league level for four different teams (including the Twins) during the 2024 season, then spent most of 2025 being repeatedly designated for assignment, outrighted, and selected again by the Orioles, before he was released at the end of August and then signed by the Astros.
Through all the transactions, Bowman posted a 5.20 ERA, 17.1% strikeout rate, and 7.7% walk rate over 55 1/3 innings in the Show during the 2024-25 seasons. His grounder rate dipped to 39.7% over the last two years, after sitting at an impressive 56.3% over his first five seasons in the bigs.
