Maryland-born reliever Matt Bowman rejoins the team as the corresponding move.
Four days into the 2025 Orioles season, we’ve got our first new injury to deal with. Ahead of Sunday’s series finale in Toronto, the team placed reliever Albert Suárez on the injured list with what it said is right shoulder inflammation. That’s the throwing shoulder for Suárez. As a corresponding move, the team selected the contract of Maryland-born reliever Matt Bowman from Triple-A Norfolk.
Suárez’s first outing of the 2025 season did not go well after a spring training that also did not go well. Summoned to try to provide some length following Charlie Morton’s short start, Suárez promptly let two inherited runners score and went on to allow two runs of his own over only 2.2 innings of work.
What especially stood out about the poor results is that they came along with velocity that was diminished by about 2mph compared to where Suárez was working, mostly successfully, as he surprised people a year ago. Shoulder inflammation that needs time to clear up is certainly a plausible explanation for that performance from the 35-year-old.
Bowman, 33, has had quite a week of experiencing the variety of possible baseball roster moves. As spring training closed, the Orioles selected his contract, adding him to the 40-man roster, in order to prevent him from exercising an opt-out at the end of spring training.
Before the season began, the out-of-options Bowman was outrighted to Norfolk, removing him from the 40-man roster. Now he’s back again. Bowman being selected again leaves the Orioles with a full 40-man.
A year ago, Bowman pitched for four different MLB teams, most frequently with the Orioles, with whom he ended the season. Over 15 games with the O’s in 2024, Bowman posted a 3.45 ERA. That would certainly be acceptable if he can find a way to duplicate that in 2025.
With Suárez having been the obvious choice for long relief, it is a bit of an open question who might be called upon the next time a starting pitcher gets blasted out of the game before the end of the fourth inning. Or worse, if someone has an elbow pop, or a more minor injury like a hamstring pull or an ankle tweak, even earlier in the game.
That is a problem the Orioles will have to deal with if it occurs. For now, this is the roster. It could change again tomorrow.