The Atlanta Braves' bullpen is the one area of the roster that is particularly questionable at the moment, more specifically, the middle relievers. The Braves' "big three" high-leverage relievers, Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias, are among the best trios in MLB, but Atlanta could sure use some better middle relief options even after putting Aaron Bummer out to pasture. Finding such options at this point of the season is tough, but one such opportunity may have just popped up.
Matt Bowman's track record in the majors to this point is iffy, especially in recent years. However, the 35-year-old righty reliever was sought after enough by the Twins that they agreed to give him a minor league contract that contained an opt-out clause if he wasn't on the MLB roster by a certain date. As it turns out, that opt-out date for Bowman was today, and the Twins ultimately decided to grant him his release instead of promoting him.
While this would certainly be a lottery-ticket sort of move, that doesn't mean that the Braves shouldn't strongly consider it.
Matt Bowman was given his release by Twins, likely due to 40-man issues. Bowman posted a 1.69 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 6 walks in 21.1 innings while inducing groundballs at a 54.5% rate with AAA St. Paul. MLB deal elsewhere probably awaits.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 20, 2026
Matt Bowman could be a very intriguing bullpen option for the Braves...but only if they act quickly
Based on the tone of Heyman's tweet, it sounds like Bowman is going to end up getting a major league deal, and he probably won't have to wait long for it. Again, the month of May is pretty brutal to try to make any roster additions, so the guys that do become available tend to get quite a bit of interest if they have anything in the tank at all.
While Bowman's MLB track record and age don't scream "bargain" at first, his results in the minor leagues are much more promising. In 14 appearances at Triple-A in 2026, Bowman has posted a 1.69 ERA with 25 strikeouts and just six walks in 21.1 innings of work.
Will Bowman be that guy in the majors with a new team? That feels unlikely, and if it were likely, Minnesota probably would have kept him. However, for a cheap deal that could have a meaningful impact on the Braves' bullpen and keep them away from using Tyler Kinley so much, Atlanta could do a hell of a lot worse than taking a flyer on Bowman.
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