Overview
- The Blue Jays agreed to a minor-league contract with reliever Matt Bowman on May 27, 2026, and he is expected to report to Triple-A Buffalo as organizational pitching depth.
- Bowman secured his free agent status by exercising an opt-out from a non-roster deal with the Minnesota Twins and was released after Minnesota declined to add him to the 40-man roster.
- He has strong Triple-A form this season, posting a 1.69 ERA, 28.1% strikeout rate and roughly a 55% ground-ball rate in 21 innings, which contrasts with a 6.20 ERA in 20 MLB appearances last year.
- Scouts describe Bowman as a low-90s sinkerballer who mixes a cutter, slider and splitter and profiles as a ground-ball, multi-inning relief option rather than a high-strikeout late-inning arm.
- Toronto gains a low-cost option that could be promoted if needed but would require a 40-man roster move to reach the majors, and his signing may prompt more shuffling of current middle relievers between Buffalo and Toronto.