WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Matt Bowman on Saturday played a crucial role in the Orioles’ comeback win over the Athletics. Sunday, he’s out of a job.
Such is life as a fringe MLB reliever, as the Orioles on Sunday morning activated Scott Blewett for a reunion, designating Bowman for assignment after his 2 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday. The move comes amid a 20-inning scoreless streak from Baltimore’s bullpen.
Baltimore acquired Blewett from the Atlanta Braves on Friday for cash. After taking two days to report, the Orioles had to put the right-hander on the active roster Sunday or risk putting him on waivers.
This is Blewett’s second stint with the Orioles after he appeared in two games — tossing 4 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run — for them in mid-April. Blewett, 29, has a 3.91 ERA in 25 1/3 innings this season between stints with the Minnesota Twins, Braves and Orioles.
The Orioles acquired Blewett after he allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings Thursday in Atlanta’s disastrous 11-10 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was DFA’d by the Braves after the loss and replaced by franchise saves leader Craig Kimbrel, who posted a 5.33 ERA and saved 23 games for the Orioles last season. Kimbrel pitched Friday and was DFA’d the next day.
Bowman, a 34-year-old Chevy Chase native, has spent the entire season with the Orioles and Triple-A Norfolk. After his critical outing Saturday, in which he stranded two of Charlie Morton’s runners in the third and then bridged the game to the rest of the bullpen, Bowman has a 4.57 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. This is the second time he’s been DFA’d by the Orioles this season. Any team can now claim him off waivers. If he passes through, he can elect to remain with the organization and report to Norfolk.
Blewett joins a bullpen that’s been MLB’s best this month. The last run the relief corps allowed was last Sunday in the seventh inning of a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.
“They’re allowing the team to stay in games and stay competitive. That’s the biggest thing,” Morton said Saturday after the 7-4 victory. “It’s really admirable, aside from the fact they’re pitching well. The fact that I don’t hear anyone complaining about they’re tired, they’re gassed, they don’t want to pitch, they’re not available. Everybody’s up, and everybody’s willing to go out there and pitch. On a night like tonight, when I go out there and throw two innings and then they pick me up, it’s just huge.”
It’s especially impressive considering the past 18 scoreless innings have come during the first five games of the Orioles’ West Coast road trip in Seattle and Sacramento. The group has allowed only 15 base runners (nine hits and six walks) across the 18 frames while striking out a whopping 29 batters.
“Don’t say it too loud; you might jinx us,” interim manager Tony Mansolino quipped when told of the scoreless streak. “They’ve been really good. I feel like guys are settling in right now.”
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